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

Word bank: chair · mug · charge · lean · bay · band · perch · bowl

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. band — a ring
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a music group
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mug — to rob
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. lean — to bend
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. charge — in control
  19. mug — a cup
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. mug — a face
  22. lean — thin
  23. charge — electricity
  24. perch — the fish

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