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 120 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. firm — steady
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pop — music
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. firm — decided
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. staff — employees
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — a company
  19. charge — in control
  20. staff — a stick
  21. pop — soda
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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