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: racket · roll · hide · charge · mark · capital · drill · dip

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. drill — a practice
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mark — a trace
  8. charge — in control
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. capital — money
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — a list
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — the tool
  18. charge — a price
  19. dip — to sink
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. capital — a city
  22. mark — a grade
  23. charge — electricity
  24. roll — on a roll

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