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: club · capital · bay · charge · nail · bark · face · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. club — a group
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bass — low music
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bark — to shout
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — money
  15. face — to confront
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. face — to point toward
  18. club — for dancing
  19. charge — in control
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. club — for golf
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. charge — a price
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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