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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. charge — a price
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. track — a path
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. charge — electricity
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. charge — in control
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. track — to keep track
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mine — for digging
  24. track — a song

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