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: can · wound · charge · cold · bore · nail · safe · roll

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. can — a tin
  4. cold — not warm
  5. roll — a cake
  6. charge — electricity
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. charge — a price
  10. roll — a list
  11. wound — an injury
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — in control
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bore — to tire
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bore — to drill
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. cold — an illness

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