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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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. safe — out of danger
  4. field — a subject
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. season — in sport
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. shower — rain
  11. charge — a price
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. season — of the year
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. vault — a safe
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rush — hurry
  19. shower — to wash
  20. charge — in control
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. field — for sport
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. field — farmland

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