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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. swing — to play on
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ball — a great time
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lean — to bend
  10. row — a line
  11. vault — a safe
  12. charge — a price
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. swing — music
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lean — thin
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. swing — in golf
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. ball — a dance
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bark — of a tree

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