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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. can — a tin
  3. tube — a container
  4. firm — a company
  5. rock — music
  6. can — a tin
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. row — a line
  9. court — for sport
  10. can — to be able to
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. charge — a price
  13. firm — steady
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. court — of a king
  17. row — to paddle
  18. court — of law
  19. pitch — completely
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rock — a stone
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. firm — decided

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