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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. stock — shares
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — goods
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pit — a hole
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. object — to protest
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. toast — bread
  15. saw — the tool
  16. object — an aim
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pass — a permit
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. object — a thing

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