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: charge · content · rock · squash · roll · trunk · pound · vault

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. charge — a price
  3. rock — music
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rock — a stone
  8. vault — a safe
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — a cake
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. content — the amount
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. content — happy
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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