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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. can — a tin
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. ball — a great time
  6. charge — a price
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pound — a weight
  10. clip — a video
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. can — to be able to
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. sharp — clever
  16. charge — electricity
  17. clip — for paper
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. clip — to cut
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. can — a tin
  24. ball — a dance

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