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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. charge — in control
  4. ground — a position
  5. fine — all right
  6. ground — the earth
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ground — crushed
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. present — there
  16. cue — a hint
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. cue — a signal
  19. present — a gift
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. fine — high quality
  22. charge — a price
  23. branch — a division
  24. calf — of the leg

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