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: rash · game · craft · stand · mine · club · charge · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. craft — a skill
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. mine — for digging
  6. stand — to bear
  7. club — for golf
  8. charge — in control
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rash — a series
  12. craft — boats
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. club — for dancing
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. game — a match
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. rash — hasty
  21. club — a group
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. charge — a price
  24. leaves — of a tree

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