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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. date — the fruit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fork — in a road
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. band — a ring
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stand — to bear
  16. charge — a price
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. charge — in control
  23. band — a music group
  24. ruler — a monarch

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