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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. saw — the tool
  3. craft — boats
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pop — soda
  6. charge — a price
  7. pitch — completely
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. charge — electricity
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. charge — in control
  13. firm — steady
  14. game — a match
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. game — wild animals
  18. firm — decided
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. firm — a company
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mouse — the animal

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