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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. root — the cause
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cell — in biology
  8. charge — in control
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wind — moving air
  13. root — of a word
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. charge — a price
  17. dip — to sink
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. charge — electricity
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. root — of a plant

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