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: pit · content · spell · jam · calf · pop · land · charge

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. pop — soda
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. spell — magic
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. content — the amount
  7. charge — in control
  8. spell — a short time
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. land — ground
  12. pop — music
  13. land — a country
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pop — to visit
  16. spell — letters
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. pit — in a race
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. land — to come down
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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