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 120 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: kid · content · charge · rock · row · fine · cell · root

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fine — all right
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. charge — in control
  7. cell — in biology
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. row — a line
  13. charge — electricity
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. charge — a price
  17. cell — a phone
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. kid — to tease
  22. root — the cause
  23. kid — child
  24. fine — high quality

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