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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bank — for money
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. content — the amount
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rest — what's left
  13. content — happy
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bank — for money
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bat — the animal
  22. rest — a break
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bat — in an idiom

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