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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. charge — in control
  3. kid — child
  4. march — music
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pop — music
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. kid — to tease
  9. object — a thing
  10. pop — to visit
  11. charge — electricity
  12. object — to protest
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. pop — soda
  15. charge — a price
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. march — the month
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. squash — to crush
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. object — an aim

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