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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — electricity
  5. chest — a box
  6. mate — a partner
  7. craft — boats
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. roll — a list
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. game — wild animals
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chest — of your body
  20. charge — a price
  21. roll — a cake
  22. chest — of your body
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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