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 120 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. last — final
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mark — a trace
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mark — a grade
  8. charge — in control
  9. last — to go on
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. last — finally
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. scale — in music
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — completely
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. charge — electricity

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