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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. staff — employees
  3. charge — a price
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. staff — a stick
  7. prune — to trim
  8. drill — army training
  9. charge — electricity
  10. content — the amount
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. staff — employees
  16. charge — in control
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. drill — a practice
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. prune — to trim
  23. content — happy
  24. rest — a break

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