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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ground — a position
  4. drill — the tool
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rest — a break
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — in cards
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mug — a cup
  14. drill — army training
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. ground — crushed
  19. drill — a practice
  20. charge — a price
  21. ground — the earth
  22. chair — a leader
  23. charge — in control
  24. hand — help

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