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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wind — moving air
  3. can — a tin
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. land — ground
  7. charge — a price
  8. land — to come down
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. squash — to crush
  11. can — to be able to
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. land — a country
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. can — a tin
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — in a race
  24. squash — the sport

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