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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. charge — in control
  4. ball — a great time
  5. charge — a price
  6. staff — a stick
  7. track — a song
  8. staff — employees
  9. court — of law
  10. track — to keep track
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. ball — a dance
  14. staff — employees
  15. court — for sport
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. charge — electricity
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. root — of a plant
  20. court — of a king
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. track — a path
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in biology

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