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: board · toast · spring · rest · bay · charge · tear · rock

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rest — a break
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — music
  7. tear — from crying
  8. toast — bread
  9. spring — a coil
  10. tear — to rip
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. spring — of water
  14. charge — in control
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. spring — the season
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rest — what's left
  20. tear — from crying
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rest — what's left
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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