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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. staff — employees
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mark — a grade
  10. season — of the year
  11. present — a gift
  12. club — for golf
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. club — for dancing
  15. staff — employees
  16. club — a group
  17. mark — a trace
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. present — the time now
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. present — there
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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