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: rule · bass · roll · charge · mine · bark · fine · stem

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. rule — a law
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rule — government
  5. charge — in control
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — to come from
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. roll — a list
  13. bark — to shout
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. fine — all right
  17. mine — for digging
  18. charge — a price
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bass — the fish
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bass — low music

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