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: mouse · scale · bark · charge · rest · swing · net · fan

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. net — after costs
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bark — to shout
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. net — for catching
  9. swing — music
  10. rest — a break
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. scale — in music
  15. rest — what's left
  16. swing — to play on
  17. net — in sport
  18. scale — size or range
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mouse — the animal

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