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: pound · plane · hide · charge · net · shower · content · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pound — a weight
  3. present — the time now
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. plane — a tool
  6. present — a gift
  7. content — happy
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. net — for catching
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. shower — rain
  17. shower — to wash
  18. content — the amount
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. net — after costs
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. net — in sport

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