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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ground — the earth
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pop — soda
  7. charge — in control
  8. kick — in football
  9. pop — to visit
  10. charge — a price
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. hand — in cards
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. club — a group
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. snap — to click
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. charge — electricity
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pop — music
  21. club — for golf
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — a position
  24. hand — help

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