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: bulb · nail · coach · bore · charge · mine · squash · current

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bore — to drill
  3. charge — a price
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. charge — in control
  12. squash — the sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — of water
  16. bore — to tire
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. current — happening now
  19. bulb — for light
  20. current — electric
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. mine — for digging

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