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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mark — a trace
  4. charge — electricity
  5. firm — a company
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. charge — a price
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. shower — rain
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. snap — to click
  12. rush — hurry
  13. charge — in control
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. shower — to wash
  20. pop — soda
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. firm — decided
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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