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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. cue — a hint
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. club — for golf
  5. face — part of the head
  6. cue — for pool
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. face — to point toward
  14. charge — in control
  15. swing — in golf
  16. face — to confront
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. club — for dancing
  22. saw — the tool
  23. charge — electricity
  24. club — a group

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