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: content · prune · chip · key · charge · plane · sharp · net

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. plane — a tool
  4. content — the amount
  5. key — in music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. chip — to eat
  9. key — the most important part
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. sharp — clever
  14. prune — to trim
  15. charge — in control
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. key — for a lock
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. content — happy
  20. charge — electricity
  21. prune — to trim
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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