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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. club — for dancing
  4. court — for sport
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mine — for digging
  7. court — of a king
  8. scale — in music
  9. staff — employees
  10. charge — in control
  11. court — of law
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. club — for golf
  14. mug — a face
  15. charge — a price
  16. mug — a cup
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. club — a group
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mug — to rob
  24. staff — employees

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