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: squash · charge · leaves · lie · club · scale · mate · dip

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mate — a partner
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. club — a group
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. charge — in control
  8. dip — to sink
  9. charge — electricity
  10. mate — a friend
  11. club — for golf
  12. squash — to crush
  13. scale — size or range
  14. club — for dancing
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mate — to breed
  19. squash — the sport
  20. scale — in music
  21. charge — a price
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. lie — to recline

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