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 · pit · march · hide · pass · coach · bark · rash

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. march — music
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rash — a series
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. charge — electricity
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. pit — in a race
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pit — a hole

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