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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. charge — in control
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bulb — for light
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. march — music
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ball — a great time

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