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: file · charge · coach · bark · bay · scale · ball · tube

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. charge — in control
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. scale — in music
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. tube — a container
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ball — a great time
  18. charge — electricity
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. charge — a price
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. ball — a dance
  24. scale — size or range

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