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: temple · suit · object · charge · court · season · firm · last

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. suit — clothes
  3. last — final
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. season — in sport
  8. last — finally
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — of law
  11. suit — in cards
  12. last — to go on
  13. charge — in control
  14. firm — decided
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. court — for sport
  17. suit — to fit
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. season — of the year
  22. object — to protest
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. charge — a price

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