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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fine — all right
  3. charge — in control
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stand — to bear
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. charge — a price
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pitcher — a jug

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