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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. charge — in control
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. charge — electricity
  9. craft — boats
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bore — to tire
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. craft — a skill
  24. shower — rain

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