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: game · land · fine · vault · pass · ground · charge · wake

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. pass — a permit
  3. game — a match
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. land — to come down
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. fine — all right
  14. charge — in control
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. fine — high quality
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ground — the earth
  20. land — a country
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ground — a position
  23. wake — a trail
  24. game — wild animals

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