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: charge · nail · chair · key · squash · clip · mouse · lean

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. key — the most important part
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. lean — thin
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. clip — to cut
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chair — a leader
  12. clip — a video
  13. charge — in control
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. squash — to crush
  19. key — for a lock
  20. charge — a price
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. clip — for paper
  24. key — in music

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