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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. staff — employees
  3. bound — certain
  4. bark — to shout
  5. staff — employees
  6. charge — electricity
  7. kick — in football
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. court — for sport
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. charge — a price
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rock — music
  14. staff — a stick
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. court — of a king
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bound — tied together
  22. court — of law
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. charge — in control

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