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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. charge — electricity
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. track — a path
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pop — to visit
  7. charge — in control
  8. pop — music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. perch — the fish
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bark — to shout
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. charge — a price
  16. rest — a break
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pop — soda
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. plane — a tool
  23. track — a song
  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