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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bound — tied together
  4. chest — of your body
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. charge — a price
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bound — certain
  10. field — farmland
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. field — a subject
  14. chest — of your body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. charge — electricity
  20. field — for sport
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chest — a box
  23. bound — obliged
  24. racket — a loud noise

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