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: object · jam · date · coach · charge · field · last · rule

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. charge — a price
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. field — a subject
  8. rule — government
  9. charge — in control
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. last — finally
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. object — an aim
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. date — the fruit
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. object — a thing
  21. charge — electricity
  22. last — final
  23. object — to protest
  24. last — to go on

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