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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cap — of ice
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cap — a lid
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. kid — to tease
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — a subject
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. charge — electricity
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. kid — child
  20. cap — a hat
  21. field — for sport
  22. scale — size or range
  23. charge — a price
  24. nail — for a hammer

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