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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. kick — in football
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a cake
  8. ground — crushed
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. march — the month
  12. bark — to shout
  13. ground — a position
  14. march — music
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. march — the month
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. deal — to handle
  23. ground — the earth
  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