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: charge · date · mine · bear · court · object · straw · rule

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. object — a thing
  5. mine — for digging
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. object — an aim
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. date — the fruit
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. court — of a king
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. court — of law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rule — a law
  22. object — to protest
  23. rule — government
  24. charge — a price

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