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: pit · ruler · charge · rock · cell · branch · bound · lie

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pit — in a race
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bound — obliged
  6. cell — in biology
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rock — a stone
  9. charge — a price
  10. branch — a division
  11. bound — certain
  12. pit — a hole
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. charge — electricity
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. cell — a phone
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bound — tied together
  24. lie — an untruth

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