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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. kid — child
  3. board — a committee
  4. root — the cause
  5. kid — to tease
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fall — to drop
  8. charge — electricity
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fall — to drop
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. charge — a price
  20. root — of a plant
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fall — the season
  23. board — to get on
  24. root — of a word

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