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: fine · stand · mug · cap · wound · arm · ball · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. fine — all right
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. charge — a price
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wound — an injury
  10. cap — a lid
  11. ball — a great time
  12. fine — high quality
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mug — to rob
  15. cap — of ice
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. cap — a hat
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. charge — in control
  24. wound — an injury

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