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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mate — a partner
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. board — to get on
  10. pit — a hole
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. sharp — clever
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. mate — a friend
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pit — in a race
  22. charge — a price
  23. board — a committee
  24. mate — to breed

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