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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. court — for sport
  4. bound — obliged
  5. stock — shares
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. charge — electricity
  8. court — of law
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. charge — a price
  12. cap — a hat
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stock — goods
  16. court — of a king
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bound — tied together
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bound — certain
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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