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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. hand — help
  5. shower — rain
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. board — a committee
  8. craft — boats
  9. board — to get on
  10. craft — a skill
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. press — to push
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mate — a partner
  17. charge — electricity
  18. mate — to breed
  19. hand — in cards
  20. mate — a friend
  21. charge — a price
  22. mark — a grade
  23. shower — to wash
  24. mark — a trace

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