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: cap · cell · staff · bore · charge · vault · pit · swing

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pit — a hole
  3. staff — a stick
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a hat
  7. staff — employees
  8. charge — a price
  9. bore — to drill
  10. swing — in golf
  11. cell — a phone
  12. swing — music
  13. vault — a safe
  14. cell — in biology
  15. staff — employees
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. swing — to play on
  19. charge — in control
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pit — in a race
  23. cap — a lid
  24. charge — electricity

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