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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. charge — a price
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cap — of ice
  7. charge — in control
  8. spring — of water
  9. cap — a lid
  10. club — a group
  11. suit — to fit
  12. club — for golf
  13. charge — electricity
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. club — for dancing
  16. spring — a coil
  17. board — a committee
  18. suit — clothes
  19. sharp — clever
  20. board — to get on
  21. suit — in cards
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. spring — the season
  24. mouse — the animal

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