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 · safe · rock · fall · band · rule · bear · hide

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. charge — a price
  4. bear — the animal
  5. band — a ring
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. charge — in control
  8. fall — to drop
  9. band — a music group
  10. fall — the season
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rule — a law
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. charge — electricity
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rule — government
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. safe — a strongbox

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