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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rock — a stone
  3. land — a country
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. land — ground
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. land — to come down
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. charge — a price
  16. present — the time now
  17. rock — music
  18. charge — in control
  19. fork — in a road
  20. content — the amount
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. suit — to fit
  23. charge — electricity
  24. present — there

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