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: ball · charge · hand · cap · kick · wave · plane · bore

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. cap — a lid
  4. hand — help
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bore — to tire
  9. plane — a tool
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. cap — a hat
  13. kick — in football
  14. hand — in cards
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. charge — a price
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cap — of ice
  24. charge — in control

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