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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bulb — for light
  7. toast — bread
  8. mate — a friend
  9. face — part of the head
  10. mate — a partner
  11. row — a line
  12. face — to confront
  13. rule — a law
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. chest — a box
  16. charge — a price
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mate — to breed
  19. rule — government
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bulb — for light
  23. row — to paddle
  24. chest — of your body

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