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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fall — the season
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. charge — a price
  19. bulb — for light
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — part of the body

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