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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rule — government
  5. charge — a price
  6. deal — to handle
  7. court — for sport
  8. bark — to shout
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. charge — in control
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. court — of a king
  17. rule — a law
  18. court — of law
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bat — the animal
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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