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: deal · bat · face · pitcher · sharp · patient · fine · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. face — to point toward
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. charge — in control
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. charge — electricity
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. deal — to handle
  24. patient — a sick person

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