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: mouse · bark · date · court · charge · ground · press · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. court — for sport
  3. press — to push
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. ground — crushed
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. press — newspapers
  10. court — of a king
  11. bark — to shout
  12. court — of law
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. date — the fruit
  20. charge — in control
  21. ground — a position
  22. charge — a price
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. charge — electricity

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