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: roll · charge · chair · mark · wake · trunk · toast · net

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. net — for catching
  7. charge — in control
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. toast — bread
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. roll — a cake
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. chair — a leader
  14. net — in sport
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mark — a trace
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. net — after costs
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. roll — a list
  22. charge — electricity
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. chair — a professorship

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