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: bear · charge · trunk · kick · present · date · ground · deal

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. deal — to handle
  5. date — the fruit
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. present — the time now
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ground — a position
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. present — there
  17. bear — the animal
  18. present — a gift
  19. kick — in football
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ground — the earth
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. ground — crushed
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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