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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. charge — in control
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — obliged
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. face — to confront
  11. charge — a price
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. prune — to trim
  16. face — to point toward
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bat — the animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. kick — in football
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. prune — to trim

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