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

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. net — after costs
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. tube — the underground
  6. net — for catching
  7. row — to paddle
  8. tube — a container
  9. charge — in control
  10. rash — hasty
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. charge — electricity
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. net — in sport
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — a series
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. row — a line

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