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: plane · squash · fine · charge · march · toast · season · hand

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fine — all right
  3. squash — to crush
  4. hand — help
  5. charge — in control
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. fine — high quality
  10. season — of the year
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. hand — in cards
  16. march — the month
  17. toast — bread
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. charge — a price
  21. march — music
  22. charge — electricity
  23. season — in sport
  24. squash — the sport

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