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 120 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: stick · charge · sharp · arm · patient · cap · trunk · band

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. charge — in control
  4. cap — a hat
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. charge — electricity
  14. sharp — clever
  15. band — a ring
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. charge — a price
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. band — a music group
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. cap — a lid
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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