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 116 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. court — of law
  3. spell — magic
  4. charge — a price
  5. rest — what's left
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pound — a weight
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. charge — in control
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. cue — a signal
  16. court — for sport
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cue — a hint
  19. drill — a practice
  20. court — of a king
  21. drill — army training
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. cue — for pool

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