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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. drill — army training
  3. charge — a price
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. drill — a practice
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. drill — the tool
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pit — in a race
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pit — a hole
  13. chair — a leader
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. dip — to sink
  18. current — electric
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. current — of water
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. current — happening now

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