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: cell · chest · snap · current · mug · last · staff · fan

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. staff — employees
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. last — finally
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — a phone
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. chest — of your body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. last — to go on
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. staff — a stick
  16. current — electric
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. staff — employees
  21. snap — to click
  22. cell — in biology
  23. mug — a face
  24. last — final

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