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: spell · pit · charge · object · bat · rock · tube · land

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. rock — music
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. object — a thing
  9. land — to come down
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bat — the animal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. object — to protest
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. object — an aim
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — magic

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