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 120 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. charge — in control
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — in music
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. band — a music group
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. content — happy
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. charge — a price
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cold — not warm
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. scale — size or range
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. content — the amount
  19. pound — a weight
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. charge — electricity
  22. band — a ring
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. cold — an illness

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