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 120 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: bay · charge · bore · file · cap · bear · object · spring

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. charge — electricity
  4. file — a tool
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spring — of water
  8. object — a thing
  9. spring — the season
  10. file — a document
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bear — the animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cap — a hat
  21. file — a line of people
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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