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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. charge — electricity
  4. craft — boats
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. staff — employees
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. staff — a stick
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. charge — in control
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. staff — employees
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fan — a supporter

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