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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. march — the month
  4. swing — in golf
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. season — in sport
  10. roll — a cake
  11. rule — government
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. season — of the year
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rule — a law
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stock — shares
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stock — goods
  24. swing — music

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