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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. cue — for pool
  3. charge — in control
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hand — help
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. charge — electricity
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. hand — in cards
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. cue — a hint
  19. can — a tin
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. charge — a price
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. season — of the year
  24. hand — part of the body

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