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: ruler · toast · saw · charge · bark · wind · roll · wound

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. charge — in control
  3. roll — a list
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. roll — a cake
  7. wound — an injury
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wound — an injury
  10. saw — the tool
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. charge — a price
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bark — to shout
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. toast — bread
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ruler — a monarch

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