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 116 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: lean · land · band · firm · charge · track · fork · mouse

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. charge — a price
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. land — a country
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. charge — electricity
  8. track — a path
  9. band — a music group
  10. charge — in control
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. firm — a company
  15. track — a song
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fork — in a road
  22. band — a ring
  23. land — to come down
  24. mouse — the animal

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