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: spell · press · ball · cap · ground · lean · net · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. ball — a dance
  3. spell — magic
  4. net — in sport
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. press — newspapers
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cap — of ice
  9. ground — the earth
  10. net — after costs
  11. cap — a lid
  12. press — a publisher
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lean — thin
  15. ground — a position
  16. charge — a price
  17. press — to push
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ground — crushed
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. cap — a hat
  22. net — for catching
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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