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: charge · bore · toast · jam · hand · race · mouse · craft

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. toast — bread
  3. race — a contest
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. craft — boats
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bore — to tire
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. charge — in control
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. hand — in cards
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to drill
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. mouse — for a computer

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