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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. cue — a hint
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. object — a thing
  5. charge — a price
  6. object — an aim
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. club — for dancing
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mine — for digging
  12. charge — in control
  13. club — for golf
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. object — to protest
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rush — hurry
  19. hand — help
  20. cue — a signal
  21. charge — electricity
  22. club — a group
  23. hand — in cards
  24. coach — a trainer

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