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: charge · rash · ground · fork · bowl · wake · season · bore

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bore — to tire
  5. charge — in control
  6. ground — crushed
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rash — a series
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. season — of the year
  14. charge — a price
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. charge — electricity
  17. season — in sport
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ground — a position
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rash — hasty

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