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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. chair — a leader
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. deal — to handle
  5. clip — to cut
  6. clip — for paper
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a signal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. charge — a price
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. cue — a hint
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. clip — a video
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. chair — a professorship

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