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 116 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: cell · bass · bore · spell · trunk · hide · drill · charge

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bore — to drill
  6. drill — a practice
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. drill — the tool
  9. charge — electricity
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. spell — magic
  13. charge — in control
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bass — the fish
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. cell — a phone
  21. spell — a short time
  22. cell — in biology
  23. charge — a price
  24. spell — letters

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