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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. present — there
  4. face — to confront
  5. scale — in music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — part of the head
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. season — in sport
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. present — a gift
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bulb — for light
  16. present — the time now
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. charge — in control
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. face — to point toward
  23. season — of the year
  24. scale — for weighing

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