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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. spell — letters
  8. charge — in control
  9. spell — magic
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. spell — a short time
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. charge — a price
  14. staff — employees
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. staff — employees
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pound — to hit hard

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