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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. season — in sport
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. can — a tin
  9. row — to paddle
  10. charge — in control
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. can — to be able to
  13. shower — to wash
  14. can — a tin
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bark — to shout
  17. charge — a price
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. charge — electricity
  20. season — of the year
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — a line
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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