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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. charge — electricity
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. last — to go on
  6. file — a line of people
  7. band — a music group
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. scale — in music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. file — a document
  14. bear — the animal
  15. band — a ring
  16. board — a committee
  17. charge — a price
  18. file — a tool
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. last — final
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. board — to get on
  24. last — finally

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