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

Word bank: kick · drill · mug · firm · charge · wake · cabinet · snap

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mug — a cup
  3. charge — electricity
  4. snap — to click
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wake — a trail
  7. drill — a practice
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. kick — in football
  12. drill — army training
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. charge — in control
  15. mug — a face
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. charge — a price
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. mug — to rob
  21. drill — the tool
  22. firm — decided
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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