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: kick · season · charge · object · patient · toast · lean · fall

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. lean — to bend
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. charge — in control
  7. fall — to drop
  8. charge — electricity
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. object — an aim
  12. fall — the season
  13. season — in sport
  14. object — to protest
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. object — a thing
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. kick — in football
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — of the year
  22. toast — bread
  23. charge — a price
  24. kick — with a leg

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