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: bulb · charge · squash · leaves · chair · capital · toast · craft

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. squash — the sport
  3. craft — a skill
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. charge — in control
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. capital — a city
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. charge — a price
  13. bulb — for light
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. charge — electricity
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bulb — for light
  21. toast — bread
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. toast — the most admired

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