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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — to wash
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. ball — a dance
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. cell — in biology
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bank — of a river
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. bank — for money
  17. cell — a phone
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. charge — a price
  20. toast — bread
  21. charge — in control
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. ball — a great time
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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