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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. charge — a price
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. game — wild animals
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rash — a series
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. board — to get on
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. game — a match
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. board — a committee
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. rash — hasty
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. charge — in control

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