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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. race — a contest
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ground — a position
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. tear — to rip
  10. club — for golf
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. race — humankind
  13. club — for dancing
  14. race — the arms race
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bear — the animal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. club — a group
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bear — the animal
  21. tear — from crying
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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