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 · face · rock · bowl · cue · perch · chair · cabinet

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cue — a signal
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. chair — a leader
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. rock — music
  15. perch — the fish
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — to point toward
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rock — to move gently

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