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: plane · board · calf · shower · arm · tube · kick · charge

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. charge — a price
  3. board — a committee
  4. shower — rain
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. board — to get on
  14. kick — in football
  15. plane — a tool
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. charge — in control
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. charge — electricity
  21. tube — a container
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. tube — the underground

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