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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cap — of ice
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. track — a path
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. pitch — completely
  11. court — for sport
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. roll — a cake
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. court — of a king
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cap — a hat
  20. track — a song
  21. court — of law
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. roll — a list
  24. perch — for a bird

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