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: mug · march · kick · chair · charge · suit · prune · bore

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. mug — a cup
  4. march — the month
  5. prune — to trim
  6. kick — in football
  7. prune — to trim
  8. march — the month
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. mug — to rob
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mug — a face
  18. chair — a leader
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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