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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. charge — a price
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cell — a phone
  7. key — in music
  8. staff — employees
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. track — a path
  12. ground — the earth
  13. deal — to handle
  14. ground — crushed
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cell — in biology
  18. staff — employees
  19. track — a song
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. charge — in control
  24. track — to keep track

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