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: bark · roll · rash · charge · coach · season · spring · face

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spring — of water
  8. season — in sport
  9. rash — a series
  10. charge — a price
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. roll — a list
  14. face — to confront
  15. rash — hasty
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. face — part of the head
  18. charge — in control
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. roll — a cake
  24. season — of the year

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