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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ball — a great time
  3. capital — money
  4. tube — a container
  5. bark — to shout
  6. squash — to crush
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. capital — a city
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pound — a weight
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. squash — the sport
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — electricity
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. charge — in control

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