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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. game — a match
  3. court — of a king
  4. drill — army training
  5. rule — government
  6. charge — a price
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. present — there
  9. lean — thin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. charge — in control
  14. rule — a law
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. lean — to bend
  17. drill — a practice
  18. present — a gift
  19. court — of law
  20. charge — electricity
  21. court — for sport
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. drill — the tool
  24. game — wild animals

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