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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. kid — child
  3. mug — a face
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. mate — to breed
  14. kid — to tease
  15. rule — government
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bore — to tire
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mug — a cup

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