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: mug · charge · mate · spring · scale · stem · mark · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mug — a cup
  4. charge — in control
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mug — a face
  7. spring — the season
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mug — to rob
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — a coil
  17. scale — in music
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. stem — to come from
  22. mate — a friend
  23. ball — a dance
  24. scale — size or range

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