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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bank — of a river
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chair — a leader
  13. charge — a price
  14. bank — for money
  15. charge — electricity
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bank — for money
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. branch — a division

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