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: bulb · cue · content · charge · fine · object · pass · bark

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. fine — all right
  3. object — to protest
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. charge — in control
  8. content — the amount
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — a price
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — to shout
  18. charge — electricity
  19. object — an aim
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. object — a thing

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