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 · court · fan · bowl · board · trunk · deal · drill

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. charge — a price
  3. board — to get on
  4. court — of law
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. drill — the tool
  8. court — of a king
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. drill — army training
  13. board — a committee
  14. court — for sport
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. drill — a practice
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. board — a flat piece

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