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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rule — government
  5. deal — to handle
  6. charge — in control
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. club — for dancing
  9. tube — the underground
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — for sport
  13. club — a group
  14. rule — a law
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. cue — a hint
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tube — a container
  22. club — for golf
  23. charge — a price
  24. cue — for pool

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