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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · kick · rock · charge · deal · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. charge — electricity
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. deal — to handle
  5. charge — in control
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mate — a partner
  10. charge — a price
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rock — music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rock — a stone
  17. kick — in football
  18. mate — to breed

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