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: object · charge · row · key · mate · deal · board · clip

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. row — to paddle
  3. charge — a price
  4. object — a thing
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. key — the most important part
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mate — a partner
  11. key — in music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. object — to protest
  14. clip — to cut
  15. clip — a video
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. charge — in control
  18. clip — for paper
  19. board — a committee
  20. key — for a lock
  21. row — a line
  22. mate — to breed
  23. board — to get on
  24. object — an aim

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