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 120 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. wound — an injury
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. charge — in control
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rash — a series
  7. bass — low music
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bark — to shout
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bass — the fish
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. ground — a position
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rash — on the skin
  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