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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. stand — to bear
  3. charge — in control
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bark — to shout
  8. rock — music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cue — a signal
  13. foot — a measure
  14. field — for sport
  15. lean — thin
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. field — farmland
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. cue — a hint
  21. field — a subject
  22. rock — a stone
  23. charge — a price
  24. foot — the bottom

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