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 · rock · cap · safe · fine · fall · wound · court

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fall — to drop
  4. court — of a king
  5. fall — the season
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rock — music
  13. court — of law
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. court — for sport
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cap — a lid
  22. fine — all right
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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