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 116 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 · ball · rush · can · dip · bark · perch · net

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. charge — electricity
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. charge — in control
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. net — after costs
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bark — to shout
  17. charge — a price
  18. net — in sport
  19. dip — to sink
  20. can — to be able to
  21. net — for catching
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. can — a tin
  24. perch — the fish

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