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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. charge — a price
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. race — the arms race
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. capital — a city
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. race — humankind
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. capital — money
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. key — the most important part
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. race — a contest
  24. calf — a young animal

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