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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. rash — a series
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bat — the animal
  7. drill — army training
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rash — hasty
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. drill — the tool
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. charge — a price
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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