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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. charge — electricity
  2. chair — a leader
  3. wake — a trail
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. track — to keep track
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bark — to shout
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — a price
  16. mate — a friend
  17. track — a song
  18. charge — in control
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. track — a path
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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