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 116 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: race · mug · charge · present · ground · club · court · racket

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mug — to rob
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. present — the time now
  5. ground — a position
  6. race — humankind
  7. mug — a face
  8. club — for dancing
  9. charge — a price
  10. race — the arms race
  11. charge — electricity
  12. race — a contest
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. court — for sport
  15. present — there
  16. court — of a king
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. club — a group
  19. ground — the earth
  20. charge — in control
  21. mug — a cup
  22. club — for golf
  23. court — of law
  24. ground — crushed

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