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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. present — a gift
  3. charge — electricity
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bass — low music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. land — to come down
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. present — there
  12. charge — a price
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. charge — in control
  19. present — the time now
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bass — the fish
  22. kick — in football
  23. land — a country
  24. land — ground

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