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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. firm — steady
  11. drill — army training
  12. firm — decided
  13. drill — a practice
  14. firm — a company
  15. wake — a trail
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mine — for digging
  18. staff — employees

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