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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — a country
  4. pit — in a race
  5. plane — a tool
  6. present — a gift
  7. wound — an injury
  8. charge — a price
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wound — an injury
  12. charge — in control
  13. present — the time now
  14. game — wild animals
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. present — there
  21. pit — a hole
  22. land — ground
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. suit — to fit

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