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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bass — low music
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. ground — a position
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — crushed
  15. cold — an illness
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. charge — a price
  18. bass — the fish
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. saw — the tool
  21. toast — bread
  22. cold — not warm
  23. saw — the tool
  24. charge — electricity

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