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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. face — part of the head
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bore — to tire
  5. season — of the year
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. face — to point toward
  12. wax — to grow
  13. face — to confront
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. season — in sport
  20. lean — thin
  21. pit — a hole
  22. charge — a price
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pit — in a race

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