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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. charge — in control
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. kid — to tease
  6. sharp — clever
  7. drill — a practice
  8. fine — high quality
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mark — a trace
  11. charge — electricity
  12. drill — the tool
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mark — a grade
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fine — all right
  17. suit — to fit
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. kid — child
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. charge — a price
  23. present — there
  24. drill — army training

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