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: bear · last · patient · cabinet · charge · firm · pit · band

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. firm — a company
  6. band — a ring
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a music group
  13. pit — in a race
  14. firm — decided
  15. last — to go on
  16. bear — the animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. firm — steady
  19. bear — the animal
  20. last — final
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. last — finally
  23. pit — a hole
  24. patient — a sick person

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