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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. present — the time now
  3. last — final
  4. squash — the sport
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. charge — a price
  12. present — there
  13. key — for a lock
  14. squash — to crush
  15. last — finally
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. present — a gift
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. charge — electricity
  22. last — to go on
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pound — a weight

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