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: can · fan · bore · charge · mug · coach · plane · clip

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — a face
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — a tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. charge — in control
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. clip — for paper
  11. bore — to tire
  12. clip — to cut
  13. bore — to drill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. clip — a video
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mug — a cup
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — an aircraft

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