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 · can · season · board · rest · hide · roll · calf

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — a price
  4. rest — a break
  5. charge — in control
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. board — a committee
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rest — what's left
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. season — in sport
  13. charge — electricity
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. roll — a list
  16. can — a tin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. can — a tin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. season — of the year
  22. board — to get on
  23. can — to be able to
  24. calf — a young animal

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