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 is an ace ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rash — a series
  4. last — finally
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. last — final
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. last — to go on
  10. staff — employees
  11. stock — shares
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. charge — a price
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stock — goods
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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