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: saw · hide · content · stand · charge · key · mine · game

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. content — the amount
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. charge — a price
  7. game — a match
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. key — in music
  11. game — wild animals
  12. charge — electricity
  13. saw — the tool
  14. charge — in control
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. saw — the tool
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. content — happy

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