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: game · swing · pit · stick · spell · leaves · charge · jam

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pit — a hole
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. game — a match
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. spell — a short time
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. swing — in golf
  11. spell — letters
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pit — in a race
  17. charge — in control
  18. swing — music
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. charge — a price
  24. spell — magic

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