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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mug — a face
  4. roll — a cake
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. saw — the tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. charge — in control
  10. rule — a law
  11. roll — a list
  12. charge — electricity
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. rule — government
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. charge — a price
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mug — to rob
  23. game — a match
  24. mug — a cup

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