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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. charge — in control
  3. rash — hasty
  4. season — of the year
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. ball — a dance
  7. season — in sport
  8. rest — a break
  9. bound — certain
  10. charge — a price
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rash — a series
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pit — in a race
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bound — obliged
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pit — a hole
  22. capital — a city
  23. rest — what's left
  24. capital — money

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