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 120 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: field · charge · face · leaves · chair · last · sharp · bank

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. field — for sport
  3. charge — electricity
  4. last — finally
  5. bank — for money
  6. face — to confront
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bank — of a river
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chair — a leader
  11. face — part of the head
  12. last — to go on
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — farmland
  16. bank — for money
  17. last — final
  18. sharp — clever
  19. charge — a price
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. face — to point toward
  24. chair — to sit on

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