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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. charge — in control
  4. present — there
  5. shower — to wash
  6. present — the time now
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. present — a gift
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. shower — rain
  15. charge — a price
  16. scale — in music
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. cold — not warm
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cold — an illness
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — to handle

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