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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. last — to go on
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. charge — a price
  12. mate — to breed
  13. charge — in control
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mate — a friend
  19. last — final
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bear — the animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. last — finally

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