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: chest · deal · spell · sharp · rest · season · bound · charge

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bound — tied together
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rest — what's left
  8. charge — a price
  9. deal — to handle
  10. spell — magic
  11. chest — a box
  12. bound — certain
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. spell — a short time
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. charge — in control
  19. chest — of your body
  20. spell — letters
  21. rest — a break
  22. bound — obliged
  23. charge — electricity
  24. sharp — clever

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