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 116 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: stick · court · rest · hand · bulb · charge · chip · safe

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. hand — in cards
  5. court — of a king
  6. hand — help
  7. court — of law
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. chip — to eat
  11. court — for sport
  12. rest — a break
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — for light
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bulb — for light
  24. charge — in control

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