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: rush · cell · snap · toast · staff · board · fan · hand

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. staff — employees
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. staff — employees
  5. snap — to click
  6. staff — a stick
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. rush — hurry
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. board — a committee
  11. cell — in biology
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. board — to get on
  17. hand — in cards
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hand — help
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  24. cell — a phone

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