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 · mug · ruler · chip · date · perch · charge · game

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — a price
  5. mug — a face
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — the fish
  8. object — to protest
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chip — for betting
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mug — a cup
  14. date — the fruit
  15. game — wild animals
  16. object — a thing
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. game — a match
  19. mug — to rob
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. object — an aim
  23. charge — electricity
  24. chip — to eat

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