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: scale · charge · net · roll · bay · hide · craft · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. scale — in music
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. charge — electricity
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. roll — a list
  9. scale — size or range
  10. fine — all right
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. charge — in control
  15. craft — a skill
  16. net — for catching
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. net — after costs
  19. craft — boats
  20. net — in sport
  21. roll — a cake
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. charge — a price
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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