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: shower · toast · capital · charge · track · fall · row · vault

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. row — a line
  3. charge — electricity
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fall — the season
  6. capital — a city
  7. vault — a safe
  8. toast — bread
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. row — to paddle
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. capital — money
  14. charge — a price
  15. fall — to drop
  16. shower — rain
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. track — a path
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. track — a song
  22. fall — to drop
  23. charge — in control
  24. toast — the most admired

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