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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. board — to get on
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. season — in sport
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. season — of the year
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stand — to bear
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. charge — in control
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mate — to breed
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. mate — a friend
  23. chair — a leader
  24. board — a committee

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