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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. charge — in control
  3. march — the month
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. march — the month
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. tube — a container
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. charge — a price
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. march — music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. toast — bread
  20. game — wild animals
  21. charge — electricity
  22. key — in music
  23. ball — a dance
  24. key — for a lock

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