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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. file — a tool
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. charge — a price
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. saw — the tool
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. vault — a safe
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cue — for pool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. sharp — clever
  21. charge — in control
  22. file — a document
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cue — a hint

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