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: court · kick · charge · patient · drill · bulb · snap · wake

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. charge — a price
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. court — of a king
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. court — of law
  8. bulb — for light
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. snap — to click
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. charge — electricity
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. charge — in control
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bulb — for light
  20. court — for sport
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — the tool
  24. kick — a thrill

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