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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. charge — in control
  9. object — to protest
  10. last — final
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. last — to go on
  15. pound — a weight
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. charge — a price
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. last — finally
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fine — all right
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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