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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mug — a face
  4. hand — help
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. pit — a hole
  7. mug — a cup
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wind — moving air
  10. charge — in control
  11. key — in music
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wind — moving air
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mark — a grade
  20. hand — in cards
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. pit — in a race

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