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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. dip — to sink
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. charge — a price
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bound — tied together
  11. sharp — clever
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bound — obliged
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. charge — electricity
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bound — certain
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bark — to shout
  22. scale — size or range
  23. fork — in a road
  24. scale — in music

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