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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. charge — electricity
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bat — the animal
  13. mate — to breed
  14. content — the amount
  15. mate — a friend
  16. charge — a price
  17. pit — a hole
  18. charge — in control
  19. face — to point toward
  20. content — happy
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. face — to confront
  24. pit — in a race

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