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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. kid — child
  5. firm — steady
  6. mug — a face
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mug — to rob
  9. spell — magic
  10. bore — to drill
  11. firm — decided
  12. bank — for money
  13. bore — to tire
  14. kid — to tease
  15. charge — in control
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. firm — a company
  19. bank — for money
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. spell — letters
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. spell — a short time
  24. mug — a cup

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