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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. charge — a price
  6. bore — to drill
  7. kid — to tease
  8. charge — electricity
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. wake — a trail
  17. current — happening now
  18. kid — child
  19. rock — music
  20. current — electric
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. current — of water
  24. rock — a stone

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