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: clip · scale · ruler · charge · track · pound · staff · chair

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. track — a path
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chair — a leader
  5. charge — in control
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. clip — a video
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pound — a weight
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. track — to keep track
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. track — a song
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. clip — for paper
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. clip — to cut
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. chair — to sit on

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