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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. charge — a price
  7. mine — for digging
  8. rock — music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. content — happy
  11. swing — to play on
  12. charge — in control
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. swing — in golf
  17. content — the amount
  18. rush — hurry
  19. net — for catching
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. net — in sport
  24. swing — music

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