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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · bark · staff · toast · charge · cap

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. staff — employees
  3. cap — a lid
  4. charge — in control
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cap — of ice
  14. staff — employees
  15. cap — a hat
  16. toast — bread
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. charge — a price

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