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: ball · kick · charge · coach · dip · prune · stick · ground

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. prune — to trim
  3. charge — electricity
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. ground — a position
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ball — a dance
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. prune — to trim
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. charge — in control
  20. kick — in football
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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