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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. charge — in control
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ground — crushed
  6. sharp — clever
  7. object — an aim
  8. scale — size or range
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. object — to protest
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ground — a position
  16. cold — not warm
  17. cold — an illness
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. charge — a price
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ground — the earth
  23. object — a thing
  24. sharp — exactly

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