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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. ball — a great time
  7. court — for sport
  8. lean — thin
  9. charge — in control
  10. court — of law
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. game — a match
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stand — to bear
  20. charge — a price
  21. rest — a break
  22. court — of a king
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stand — for spectators

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