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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. chest — a box
  3. object — a thing
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mug — to rob
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mug — a face
  10. branch — a division
  11. chest — of your body
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. object — an aim
  16. charge — a price
  17. object — to protest
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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