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 116 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: firm · charge · tube · pop · wind · kick · craft · staff

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. charge — electricity
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. staff — a stick
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wind — moving air
  10. craft — boats
  11. kick — in football
  12. charge — in control
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. tube — a container
  15. firm — decided
  16. staff — employees
  17. firm — a company
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pop — soda
  20. charge — a price
  21. firm — steady
  22. pop — music
  23. staff — employees
  24. wind — moving air

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