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: fan · charge · toast · bore · capital · bark · rush · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bark — to shout
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. rush — hurry
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. charge — a price
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. capital — a city
  15. charge — in control
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. capital — money
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. toast — bread
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. toast — the most admired

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