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: fine · mouse · charge · coach · ball · bass · roll · clip

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. roll — a cake
  4. ball — a dance
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. clip — for paper
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — to cut
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. charge — a price
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — high quality
  16. charge — in control
  17. bass — the fish
  18. fine — all right
  19. roll — a list
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. ball — a round shape

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