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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. charge — a price
  4. tube — the underground
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. field — a subject
  9. perch — the fish
  10. face — to confront
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. charge — electricity
  15. face — to point toward
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. field — farmland
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. field — for sport

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