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: toast · bore · field · row · chest · charge · lash · object

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — to paddle
  3. field — farmland
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. charge — in control
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. object — a thing
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. chest — of your body
  11. charge — electricity
  12. object — an aim
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — a box
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. row — a line
  20. field — for sport
  21. field — a subject
  22. charge — a price
  23. bore — to tire
  24. object — to protest

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