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 120 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: spell · chair · suit · patient · snap · mark · rest · ground

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ground — the earth
  4. chair — a leader
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. suit — clothes
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rest — what's left
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. suit — to fit
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. ground — crushed
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ground — a position
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rest — a break
  21. spell — letters
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. mark — a trace
  24. snap — to click

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