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 · land · rash · coach · suit · mug · fine · mate

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. land — to come down
  5. charge — a price
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fine — all right
  9. rash — a series
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rash — hasty
  13. land — ground
  14. mug — a face
  15. charge — in control
  16. mate — to breed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mate — a friend
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mate — a partner
  23. land — a country
  24. suit — in cards

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