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: charge · cabinet · content · pop · shower · pit · craft · kid

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pit — in a race
  6. shower — to wash
  7. pit — a hole
  8. content — happy
  9. kid — child
  10. pop — music
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pop — soda
  14. shower — rain
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. kid — to tease
  17. pop — to visit
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. charge — a price
  24. craft — a handicraft

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