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 120 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 · perch · fork · racket · object · kick · chair · content

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. charge — electricity
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. object — an aim
  7. charge — a price
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. object — to protest
  11. content — happy
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. charge — in control
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. perch — the fish
  17. object — a thing
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. content — the amount
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. fork — in a road
  24. racket — for tennis

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