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: march · charge · bear · cabinet · rash · nail · can · spell

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rash — hasty
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. charge — a price
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. can — a tin
  9. march — the month
  10. can — a tin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. rash — a series
  17. bear — the animal
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — magic
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rash — on the skin

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