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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. spell — letters
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. charge — electricity
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. stand — to bear
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. charge — a price
  15. spell — a short time
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bass — low music
  22. spell — magic
  23. bass — the fish
  24. stand — for spectators

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