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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. plane — a tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. charge — a price
  6. mate — a friend
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. charge — electricity
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mate — to breed
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mate — a partner
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. charge — in control
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. chair — a leader
  24. temple — side of the head

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