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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. charge — a price
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ground — a position
  6. game — a match
  7. court — of law
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ground — the earth
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — for sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ground — crushed
  19. charge — in control
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wind — moving air
  23. game — wild animals
  24. pass — a permit

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