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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bound — certain
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. land — ground
  7. bound — tied together
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. land — to come down
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. land — a country
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. race — humankind
  23. bound — obliged
  24. race — a contest

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