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: staff · wound · kid · charge · suit · face · plane · row

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. kid — to tease
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. plane — a tool
  6. row — a line
  7. face — part of the head
  8. staff — a stick
  9. face — to confront
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kid — child
  13. charge — in control
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. row — to paddle
  19. face — to point toward
  20. suit — in cards
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  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