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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. court — for sport
  3. court — of a king
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mate — a friend
  7. current — happening now
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. charge — electricity
  12. game — a match
  13. charge — a price
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. court — of law
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. game — wild animals
  19. current — electric
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pop — to visit
  22. current — of water
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. chip — to eat

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