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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. object — to protest
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. toast — bread
  6. content — the amount
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a leader
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. object — a thing
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. content — happy
  24. object — an aim

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