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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rash — a series
  4. clip — a video
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. charge — electricity
  7. staff — employees
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. charge — in control
  10. staff — employees
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. clip — to cut
  15. stand — to bear
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. chair — a leader
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. clip — for paper
  24. stand — on your feet

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