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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. charge — electricity
  3. drill — army training
  4. charge — in control
  5. fine — all right
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — for catching
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. lie — to recline
  14. drill — the tool
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. net — after costs
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. charge — a price
  22. mine — for digging
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. drill — a practice

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