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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. tube — a container
  3. pop — to visit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pop — soda
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pop — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. charge — a price
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. tube — the underground

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