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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. object — to protest
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. face — to point toward
  12. object — an aim
  13. charge — a price
  14. object — a thing
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — to tease
  17. craft — boats
  18. lean — to bend
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. face — to confront
  22. deal — to handle
  23. face — part of the head
  24. ball — a great time

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