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 116 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rash — a series
  9. prune — to trim
  10. charge — a price
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cap — of ice
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cap — a hat
  24. charge — in control

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