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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. charge — electricity
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. charge — a price
  6. rash — a series
  7. season — in sport
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. swing — to play on
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. shower — to wash
  12. season — of the year
  13. cue — for pool
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. charge — in control
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cue — a signal
  21. shower — rain
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rash — hasty

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