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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rock — music
  3. charge — electricity
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. object — an aim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. object — to protest
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chair — a leader
  11. board — to get on
  12. charge — in control
  13. rock — a stone
  14. board — a committee
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. squash — the sport
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. object — a thing
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. squash — to crush
  24. charge — a price

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