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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. can — a tin
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. club — for dancing
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. court — of a king
  10. can — a tin
  11. lie — to recline
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. club — for golf
  14. fine — all right
  15. club — a group
  16. charge — in control
  17. can — to be able to
  18. court — of law
  19. perch — the fish
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. charge — a price
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. court — for sport
  24. fine — high quality

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