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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. firm — a company
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. field — for sport
  6. field — a subject
  7. rest — a break
  8. bark — to shout
  9. rest — what's left
  10. charge — in control
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. spell — letters
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. firm — decided
  18. ball — a dance
  19. charge — electricity
  20. ball — a great time
  21. firm — steady
  22. rest — what's left
  23. field — farmland
  24. spell — magic

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