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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — a price
  5. mate — a partner
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. charge — in control
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. band — a ring
  13. mate — to breed
  14. kick — in football
  15. band — a music group
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. prune — to trim
  22. foot — a measure
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. prune — to trim

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