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 116 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: deal · shower · pass · fall · charge · present · mug · ball

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. present — a gift
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fall — the season
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fall — to drop
  8. charge — electricity
  9. shower — rain
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mug — to rob
  18. charge — in control
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. charge — a price
  21. present — the time now
  22. shower — to wash
  23. present — there
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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