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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bore — to drill
  4. cold — not warm
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. cold — an illness
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. charge — a price
  12. capital — a city
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. capital — money
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. vault — a safe
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. capital — a big letter

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