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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. ball — a dance
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. content — happy
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — in a race
  16. charge — in control
  17. key — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. charge — a price
  24. leaves — to go away

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