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: bat · charge · scale · deal · sharp · wind · suit · coach

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wind — moving air
  3. suit — clothes
  4. charge — electricity
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. scale — size or range
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — the animal
  13. wind — moving air
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. charge — in control
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. scale — in music
  24. bat — in an idiom

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