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 · nail · content · bat · stand · suit · staff · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. stand — to bear
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. staff — employees
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. staff — employees
  7. charge — in control
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — the animal
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. staff — a stick
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. content — happy
  16. suit — to fit
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. suit — clothes
  24. content — the amount

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