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: club · tube · charge · court · wind · face · ball · pass

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. club — for golf
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. face — to confront
  7. wind — moving air
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. court — for sport
  10. face — to point toward
  11. tube — a container
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. club — a group
  15. court — of law
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. charge — electricity
  18. ball — a great time
  19. court — of a king
  20. charge — in control
  21. wind — moving air
  22. pass — a permit
  23. charge — a price
  24. tube — the underground

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