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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ground — a position
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bank — for money
  8. squash — the sport
  9. ground — crushed
  10. charge — a price
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bank — for money
  13. squash — to crush
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bank — of a river
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. charge — electricity
  20. deal — to handle
  21. charge — in control
  22. ground — the earth
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. fan — to cool the air

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