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 116 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. court — of law
  4. land — to come down
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. track — a path
  7. charge — electricity
  8. board — to get on
  9. land — ground
  10. land — a country
  11. board — a committee
  12. lean — to bend
  13. court — for sport
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — a price
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. track — a song
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. lean — thin
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. court — of a king

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