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: scale · charge · field · rush · snap · mouse · drill · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. field — farmland
  3. charge — in control
  4. board — a committee
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. drill — the tool
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. snap — to click
  12. drill — army training
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. charge — a price
  16. field — a subject
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. field — for sport
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. drill — a practice

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