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: foot · shower · dip · temple · board · nail · clip · charge

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. clip — a video
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. charge — in control
  6. clip — for paper
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. shower — rain
  9. charge — a price
  10. board — to get on
  11. dip — to sink
  12. board — a committee
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. clip — to cut
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. foot — a measure
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. charge — electricity
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. foot — part of the body

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