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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spell — letters
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. spell — magic
  7. ball — a dance
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — a box
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. present — a gift
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chest — of your body
  16. present — there
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. spell — a short time
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. present — the time now
  23. charge — in control
  24. kick — in football

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