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 · jam · mate · lie · scale · charge · kick · sharp

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. chest — a box
  5. mate — a friend
  6. charge — a price
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. scale — in music
  11. charge — electricity
  12. lie — to recline
  13. scale — size or range
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. charge — in control
  17. chest — of your body
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. chest — of your body
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mate — a partner
  24. kick — in football

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