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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bore — to drill
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. charge — electricity
  7. toast — bread
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. sharp — clever
  11. net — after costs
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. cold — an illness
  15. cold — not warm
  16. net — for catching
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. bore — to tire
  20. net — in sport
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. sharp — with an edge

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