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: racket · patient · ground · charge · capital · pop · temple · hide

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ground — a position
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pop — music
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. capital — money
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — in control
  13. ground — crushed
  14. charge — a price
  15. pop — soda
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. capital — a city
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pop — to visit
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ground — the earth
  24. capital — a big letter

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