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: mark · hide · ground · dip · stem · rash · charge · patient

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — hasty
  3. stem — to come from
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. charge — a price
  13. mark — a grade
  14. ground — crushed
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. ground — the earth
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. charge — in control
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ground — a position

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