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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. charge — a price
  3. rest — what's left
  4. board — to get on
  5. charge — in control
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wake — a trail
  8. march — the month
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rest — a break
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. march — music
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. roll — a list
  20. charge — electricity
  21. march — the month
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. roll — a cake

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