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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. charge — in control
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. present — a gift
  5. land — a country
  6. present — the time now
  7. charge — a price
  8. bank — for money
  9. ground — crushed
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bank — for money
  12. season — of the year
  13. ground — a position
  14. land — ground
  15. land — to come down
  16. bank — of a river
  17. charge — electricity
  18. ground — the earth
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. season — in sport
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. present — there
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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