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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · bank · rash · wave · charge · present · mug · arm

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rash — hasty
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. charge — a price
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to click
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. present — the time now
  10. mug — a face
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rash — a series
  13. mug — a cup
  14. present — a gift
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bank — for money
  17. mug — to rob
  18. present — there
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bank — for money
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. charge — in control
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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