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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. chest — a box
  6. chest — of your body
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — obliged
  11. chair — a leader
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. kick — in football
  14. chest — of your body
  15. charge — a price
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. charge — in control
  20. bound — certain
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chair — to sit on

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