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 116 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rule — a law
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — a contest
  10. stock — goods
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. charge — in control
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. snap — to click
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bore — to tire
  18. stock — shares
  19. firm — steady
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — to drill
  23. rule — government
  24. fan — a supporter

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