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: key · safe · trunk · charge · chair · game · kid · scale

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. key — in music
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. key — for a lock
  7. chair — a leader
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. charge — a price
  10. game — a match
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. charge — in control
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. scale — in music
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. kid — to tease
  17. key — the most important part
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. game — wild animals
  21. charge — electricity
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. scale — size or range
  24. safe — a strongbox

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