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 120 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: bear · content · chair · current · ground · charge · foot · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. charge — electricity
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. ground — a position
  6. foot — a measure
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. bear — the animal
  10. court — for sport
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ground — the earth
  16. current — happening now
  17. bear — the animal
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. ground — crushed
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. court — of law
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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