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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cold — an illness
  6. rule — government
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. net — in sport
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. foot — a measure
  11. craft — a skill
  12. wax — to grow
  13. rule — a law
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. net — for catching
  16. charge — electricity
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. cold — not warm
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. craft — boats
  21. net — after costs
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cold — the Cold War

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