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 116 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bound — obliged
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a match
  6. clip — for paper
  7. clip — a video
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. face — part of the head
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. charge — in control
  17. bound — certain
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bound — tied together

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