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: race · cue · hide · charge · hand · cabinet · net · root

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. race — a contest
  3. charge — electricity
  4. root — the cause
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hand — help
  7. cue — a hint
  8. net — for catching
  9. hand — in cards
  10. charge — in control
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. root — of a word
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. race — the arms race
  17. net — in sport
  18. root — of a plant
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — humankind
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. net — after costs
  24. hide — to keep secret

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