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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. charge — electricity
  5. spell — a short time
  6. rule — government
  7. can — to be able to
  8. season — of the year
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. charge — in control
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. spell — letters
  14. charge — a price
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rule — a law
  17. press — to push
  18. season — in sport
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. spell — magic
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. press — a publisher

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