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: swing · wake · squash · craft · charge · kick · ground · pound

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. ground — a position
  3. pound — a weight
  4. charge — a price
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. squash — the sport
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ground — the earth
  11. charge — in control
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. craft — a skill
  17. swing — in golf
  18. wake — a trail
  19. kick — in football
  20. ground — crushed
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. swing — music
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. squash — to crush

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