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: rush · arm · game · fall · charge · bank · patient · season

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. season — in sport
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fall — to drop
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. season — of the year
  8. game — wild animals
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bank — for money
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bank — for money
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. game — a match
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bank — of a river
  23. charge — electricity
  24. fall — the season

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