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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. charge — in control
  3. court — of a king
  4. kick — in football
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. court — for sport
  7. rash — a series
  8. ground — crushed
  9. mine — for digging
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. charge — a price
  12. tube — a container
  13. charge — electricity
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pit — a hole
  16. ground — a position
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. court — of law
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. pit — in a race
  24. tube — in a tire

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