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 · game · spring · coach · bank · dip · rock · bark

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bank — for money
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bark — to shout
  7. spring — a coil
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. rock — a stone
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bank — of a river
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. game — a match
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. spring — the season
  17. bank — for money
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rock — music
  22. spring — of water
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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