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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pop — music
  3. charge — in control
  4. pop — soda
  5. rest — a break
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. snap — to click
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pop — to visit
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. shower — to wash
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rest — what's left
  17. charge — electricity
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. charge — a price
  20. tube — a container
  21. rest — what's left
  22. tube — the underground
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. sharp — clever

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