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: present · ball · dip · charge · ruler · date · squash · perch

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. charge — electricity
  4. present — a gift
  5. charge — in control
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a great time
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. present — there
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. squash — the sport
  17. date — the fruit
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. perch — the fish
  20. ball — a dance
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. present — the time now
  24. squash — to crush

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