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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pit — in a race
  5. net — in sport
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. perch — the fish
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. net — for catching
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wound — an injury
  16. charge — in control
  17. pop — soda
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wound — an injury
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pop — music
  22. net — after costs
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. perch — for a bird

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