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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rule — government
  3. game — a match
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. lean — to bend
  6. current — of water
  7. lean — thin
  8. current — electric
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. charge — in control
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. charge — electricity
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. current — happening now
  17. charge — a price
  18. chest — a box
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bore — to tire
  21. chest — of your body
  22. kid — child
  23. rule — a law
  24. lean — to rest against

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