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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pass — a permit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. charge — a price
  9. mate — to breed
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. board — a committee
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — to get on
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. charge — in control
  23. tube — a container
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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