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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. face — to point toward
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. charge — a price
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bass — low music
  14. face — to confront
  15. date — the fruit
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bass — the fish
  19. saw — the tool
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mate — a friend
  23. face — part of the head
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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