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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. club — for golf
  8. craft — a skill
  9. charge — a price
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. press — a publisher
  12. craft — boats
  13. spring — a coil
  14. charge — electricity
  15. press — to push
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. spring — of water
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. march — music
  21. spring — the season
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. patient — a sick person

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