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: charge · craft · scale · swing · squash · present · face · foot

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. face — to point toward
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. present — a gift
  5. craft — boats
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. swing — in golf
  9. face — to confront
  10. scale — size or range
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. charge — a price
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. foot — a measure
  15. scale — in music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. present — there
  18. charge — in control
  19. face — part of the head
  20. present — the time now
  21. swing — music
  22. craft — a skill
  23. squash — to crush
  24. charge — electricity

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