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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. charge — in control
  4. chair — a leader
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. pit — a hole
  8. roll — a cake
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pit — in a race
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rock — music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. charge — a price
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. roll — a list
  23. lie — to recline
  24. fork — in a road

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