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: rule · object · leaves · charge · bass · spell · bear · race

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. charge — in control
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bass — low music
  7. spell — letters
  8. object — an aim
  9. rule — government
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. charge — a price
  12. race — a contest
  13. object — to protest
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. charge — electricity
  18. race — humankind
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. object — a thing
  23. spell — magic
  24. race — the arms race

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