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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. hand — help
  3. land — ground
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. land — a country
  6. hand — in cards
  7. fork — in a road
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. charge — electricity
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. charge — a price
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. cold — an illness
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. cold — not warm
  20. land — to come down
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. kick — with a leg

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