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: rock · key · mine · charge · temple · wound · bear · court

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bear — the animal
  3. court — for sport
  4. rock — a stone
  5. court — of law
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. key — in music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. key — the most important part
  17. court — of a king
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. mine — for digging
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rock — music
  24. charge — in control

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