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: bore · pass · charge · trunk · board · capital · mine · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. charge — in control
  8. capital — money
  9. board — a committee
  10. capital — a city
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bore — to tire
  17. charge — electricity
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — for digging
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. charge — a price
  22. pass — a permit
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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