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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · mouse · last · toast · jam · bowl

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. charge — electricity
  8. last — to go on
  9. charge — a price
  10. last — finally
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. toast — bread
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. charge — in control
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. last — final

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