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: rule · firm · date · press · bark · plane · charge · rash

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. charge — electricity
  7. firm — a company
  8. bark — to shout
  9. charge — in control
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. press — newspapers
  12. plane — a tool
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. rash — a series
  19. rule — government
  20. rash — hasty
  21. charge — a price
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. date — on the calendar

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