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

Word bank: hide · current · nail · cold · ball · charge · bore · coach

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bore — to tire
  5. current — electric
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bore — to drill
  16. current — of water
  17. charge — a price
  18. ball — a dance
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cold — an illness
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. current — happening now
  23. charge — in control
  24. cold — not warm

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