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: cold · bass · object · ground · mark · bowl · staff · charge

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bass — the fish
  5. object — a thing
  6. charge — in control
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. object — an aim
  9. staff — employees
  10. bass — low music
  11. charge — a price
  12. staff — a stick
  13. object — to protest
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. staff — employees
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. cold — an illness
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. cold — not warm
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. ground — crushed

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