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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — to shout
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ground — the earth
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ground — a position
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. stand — to bear
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a line
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chip — for betting

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