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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. charge — electricity
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. board — a committee
  6. bore — to tire
  7. charge — a price
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mine — for digging
  10. charge — in control
  11. bank — of a river
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bore — to drill
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. squash — to crush
  18. board — to get on
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. saw — the tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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