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: object · charge · ball · staff · cell · suit · spring · field

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. suit — to fit
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — electricity
  5. ball — a dance
  6. object — a thing
  7. suit — in cards
  8. spring — of water
  9. staff — employees
  10. field — a subject
  11. object — to protest
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. spring — the season
  14. field — for sport
  15. object — an aim
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. charge — a price
  19. cell — in biology
  20. field — farmland
  21. suit — clothes
  22. spring — a coil
  23. staff — a stick
  24. cell — a phone

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