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: wind · wake · charge · stick · can · cabinet · drill · nail

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. drill — a practice
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. drill — army training
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. drill — the tool
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. can — to be able to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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