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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. charge — a price
  5. fine — high quality
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. can — a tin
  14. chest — a box
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. charge — electricity
  19. fine — all right
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. kick — in football

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