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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — a leader
  4. court — of law
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. squash — the sport
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. squash — to crush
  10. pop — to visit
  11. charge — in control
  12. court — of a king
  13. charge — electricity
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. content — happy
  20. pop — soda
  21. content — the amount
  22. court — for sport
  23. charge — a price
  24. pop — 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