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: object · bay · can · patient · file · spell · charge · hand

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. hand — in cards
  5. spell — letters
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. spell — a short time
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. object — an aim
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. object — to protest
  13. charge — a price
  14. object — a thing
  15. file — a document
  16. hand — help
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. spell — magic
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. file — a line of people
  22. can — a tin
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. file — a tool

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