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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. firm — decided
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. mark — a trace
  10. court — of a king
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mark — a grade
  15. court — for sport
  16. tube — a container
  17. bear — the animal
  18. firm — a company
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. firm — steady
  21. bear — the animal
  22. court — of law
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. charge — electricity

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