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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. craft — a skill
  4. present — a gift
  5. shower — rain
  6. key — in music
  7. swing — music
  8. land — ground
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. key — the most important part
  11. shower — to wash
  12. land — to come down
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. present — the time now
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. charge — a price
  17. craft — boats
  18. key — for a lock
  19. charge — electricity
  20. swing — to play on
  21. present — there
  22. land — a country
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. swing — in golf

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