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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. court — for sport
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lean — to bend
  6. court — of law
  7. charge — a price
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lean — thin
  10. season — of the year
  11. court — of a king
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. tube — a container
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fine — all right
  22. charge — in control
  23. fine — high quality
  24. tube — the underground

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