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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. can — to be able to
  3. charge — a price
  4. bass — the fish
  5. charge — in control
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. scale — size or range
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. drill — the tool
  14. capital — money
  15. drill — a practice
  16. lean — thin
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. scale — in music
  19. lean — to bend
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. charge — electricity
  23. capital — a city
  24. lean — to rest against

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