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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. charge — a price
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ground — the earth
  7. charge — electricity
  8. kid — child
  9. craft — boats
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bore — to drill
  12. charge — in control
  13. ground — a position
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cue — a hint
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. ground — crushed
  20. face — to confront
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. cue — for pool
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bore — to tire

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