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: firm · kick · nail · bear · scale · charge · stem · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. firm — a company
  6. scale — in music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kick — in football
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. firm — decided
  20. bear — the animal
  21. firm — steady
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. charge — in control
  24. scale — size or range

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