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: charge · bass · pass · bark · swing · stick · chest · ruler

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bass — low music
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bass — the fish
  9. charge — a price
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — to shout
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. swing — music
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pass — a permit
  18. swing — in golf
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. swing — to play on
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pass — to succeed

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