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: cue · band · charge · date · pop · ground · rock · arm

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. band — a music group
  3. pop — soda
  4. charge — in control
  5. date — the fruit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cue — for pool
  8. band — a ring
  9. rock — music
  10. ground — crushed
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pop — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pop — to visit
  17. charge — a price
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. ground — the earth
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ground — a position

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