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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pass — a permit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. content — the amount
  5. charge — a price
  6. bound — certain
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. cell — a phone
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. ground — the earth
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cell — in biology
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. content — happy
  20. ground — a position
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bound — obliged
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bound — tied together

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