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: dip · pass · chip · charge · march · lie · plane · nail

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. march — music
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. march — the month
  6. charge — a price
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chip — to eat
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. dip — to sink
  18. march — the month
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. charge — in control
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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