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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. present — there
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. game — a match
  9. spring — of water
  10. charge — a price
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. spring — the season
  14. fine — high quality
  15. present — the time now
  16. charge — electricity
  17. game — wild animals
  18. fine — all right
  19. spring — a coil
  20. present — a gift
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ground — a position
  24. fan — a supporter

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