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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  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. object — to protest
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mark — a grade
  6. spring — of water
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. charge — a price
  9. mark — a trace
  10. land — to come down
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bass — low music
  14. object — an aim
  15. charge — in control
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. spring — a coil
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. spring — the season
  21. land — a country
  22. object — a thing
  23. fan — a supporter
  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