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 120 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bark — to shout
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. chest — a box
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stand — to bear
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — in control
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. charge — a price
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. chest — of your body
  24. stand — for spectators

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