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: net · charge · land · ball · toast · rock · fork · cue

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. net — in sport
  3. land — to come down
  4. fork — in a road
  5. net — after costs
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. land — ground
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. toast — bread
  17. net — for catching
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. charge — electricity
  24. land — a country

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