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: date · kid · suit · stick · bore · charge · march · pound

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. charge — electricity
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. date — the fruit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. march — the month
  7. kid — child
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. march — the month
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. charge — a price
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. march — music
  17. charge — in control
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. suit — in cards
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bore — to drill

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