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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. track — a path
  3. saw — the tool
  4. track — a song
  5. saw — the tool
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — the fish
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. vault — a safe
  16. track — to keep track
  17. scale — in music
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bass — low music
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. charge — a price
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. charge — electricity
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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