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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. roll — a list
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. march — music
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. march — the month
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. court — of law
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. court — for sport
  16. roll — a cake
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rock — a stone
  21. court — of a king
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. rock — 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