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 120 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: bass · rash · pound · mark · tear · pitcher · ruler · charge

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. charge — in control
  3. mark — a trace
  4. charge — a price
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. tear — to rip
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rash — a series
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. tear — from crying
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rash — hasty
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bass — low music

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