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: lie · track · tube · date · squash · rest · mouse · charge

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. charge — a price
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. track — a song
  7. date — the fruit
  8. tube — the underground
  9. squash — to crush
  10. charge — in control
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lie — to recline
  15. track — a path
  16. rest — a break
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. charge — electricity

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