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 120 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. track — to keep track
  4. foot — a measure
  5. track — a song
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. scale — size or range
  10. charge — in control
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. charge — electricity
  13. season — in sport
  14. track — a path
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. scale — in music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. season — of the year
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the instrument

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