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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. charge — a price
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ball — a great time
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mug — a cup
  10. key — in music
  11. mark — a grade
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cabinet — ministers

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