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 120 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 · object · dip · game · present · rush

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. charge — electricity
  5. game — a match
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. object — a thing
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. charge — in control
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. object — an aim
  14. dip — to sink
  15. charge — a price
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. present — a gift

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