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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. charge — a price
  6. mark — a grade
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. charge — electricity
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ground — a position
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rest — what's left
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pitch — completely
  18. ground — crushed
  19. shower — rain
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. charge — in control
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rest — what's left

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