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: land · can · bore · pass · capital · stock · charge · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stock — goods
  4. can — a tin
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. capital — money
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. land — to come down
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bore — to drill
  16. charge — in control
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stock — shares
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pass — a permit
  23. can — a tin
  24. capital — a city

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