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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. charge — electricity
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. chest — of your body
  5. charge — in control
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. season — in sport
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — of the year
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. charge — a price
  23. dip — to sink
  24. branch — of a tree

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