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: rule · charge · lash · club · land · coach · bass · root

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. root — the cause
  5. land — a country
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rule — a law
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. charge — in control
  11. root — of a word
  12. bass — low music
  13. root — of a plant
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — a price
  16. land — to come down
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bass — the fish
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. rule — government
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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