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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bulb — for light
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pass — a permit
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. net — in sport
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. capital — money
  15. charge — in control
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. track — a song
  19. capital — a city
  20. net — after costs
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. net — for catching
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. track — a path

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