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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wound — an injury
  6. kick — in football
  7. last — finally
  8. charge — a price
  9. wound — an injury
  10. charge — in control
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pop — to visit
  13. last — to go on
  14. pop — soda
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. charge — electricity
  21. squash — to crush
  22. last — final
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pop — music

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