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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. deal — to handle
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. charge — a price
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rush — hurry
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. dip — to sink

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