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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. land — to come down
  3. charge — a price
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. land — ground
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. tube — a container
  15. fine — all right
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. land — a country
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fork — in a road
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. charge — in control
  24. fine — a penalty

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