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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. charge — electricity
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. charge — in control
  5. firm — a company
  6. cell — a phone
  7. tube — a container
  8. charge — a price
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. track — a song
  12. cell — in biology
  13. court — of law
  14. firm — steady
  15. hand — help
  16. firm — decided
  17. track — a path
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hand — in cards
  21. track — to keep track
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. tube — in a tire

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