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: hide · spell · club · lean · mark · charge · rock · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — thin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. spell — a short time
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rock — a stone
  12. spell — letters
  13. lean — to bend
  14. charge — in control
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. charge — a price
  17. rock — music
  18. charge — electricity
  19. spell — magic
  20. mark — a trace
  21. club — a group
  22. mark — a grade
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rock — to move gently

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