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: lie · ground · stand · charge · mug · stem · march · mine

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mine — for digging
  9. march — music
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. march — the month
  16. ground — a position
  17. mug — a face
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. march — the month
  22. ground — the earth
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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