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: mug · charge · scale · saw · pass · cabinet · race · bulb

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mug — a face
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. race — the arms race
  8. scale — size or range
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — a price
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pass — a permit
  17. charge — in control
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bulb — for light
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. race — a contest
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. saw — the tool

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