ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · charge · press · chest · trunk · snap · coach · patient

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. chest — of your body
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. spell — a short time
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. spell — magic
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. press — newspapers
  17. chest — of your body
  18. snap — to click
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. press — to push
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. press — a publisher
  23. spell — letters
  24. chest — a box

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com