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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. court — of law
  3. bark — to shout
  4. court — of a king
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. court — for sport
  7. charge — in control
  8. fall — the season
  9. press — a publisher
  10. spell — a short time
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. charge — a price
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stock — goods
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. mark — a trace
  19. spell — letters
  20. press — newspapers
  21. stock — shares
  22. press — to push
  23. charge — electricity
  24. fall — to drop

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