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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. charge — in control
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bore — to drill
  6. snap — to click
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. charge — electricity
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. swing — in golf
  11. kick — in football
  12. swing — music
  13. saw — the tool
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. charge — a price
  20. cap — of ice
  21. saw — the tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. swing — to play on
  24. plane — in geometry

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