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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. charge — a price
  3. saw — the tool
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. net — after costs
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rest — what's left
  11. net — for catching
  12. spell — letters
  13. charge — electricity
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. net — in sport
  16. board — a committee
  17. spell — a short time
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. saw — the tool
  23. board — to get on
  24. spell — magic

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