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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. scale — in music
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. object — an aim
  8. present — a gift
  9. mate — a friend
  10. present — the time now
  11. mate — a partner
  12. object — a thing
  13. mate — to breed
  14. present — there
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. charge — a price
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. object — to protest
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. scale — size or range
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. scale — for weighing

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