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 120 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: wound · mate · ruler · bore · staff · charge · kick · ball

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. staff — employees
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. kick — in football
  7. mate — to breed
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. staff — employees
  11. mate — a partner
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mate — a friend
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. staff — a stick
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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