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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. charge — a price
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. charge — in control
  10. chair — a leader
  11. cap — a lid
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mine — for digging
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pit — a hole
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pit — a fruit 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