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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. spring — the season
  6. track — a path
  7. spring — of water
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mug — to rob
  11. spring — a coil
  12. mug — a face
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. root — of a plant
  15. track — a song
  16. root — the cause
  17. charge — a price
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. track — to keep track
  21. chair — a leader
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. root — of a word
  24. mug — a cup

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