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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. last — final
  3. last — finally
  4. bulb — for light
  5. squash — to crush
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bulb — for light
  11. squash — the sport
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. charge — in control
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rest — a break
  21. last — to go on
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. arm — part of the body

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