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: saw · ground · firm · temple · bark · charge · root · craft

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. craft — boats
  3. saw — the tool
  4. root — the cause
  5. firm — steady
  6. root — of a word
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. craft — a skill
  9. charge — in control
  10. ground — a position
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. root — of a plant
  15. firm — a company
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ground — the earth
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. firm — decided
  21. saw — the tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bark — to shout

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