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 · march · lash · mouse · cue · cabinet · charge · coach

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. charge — in control
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cue — a signal
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cue — for pool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. march — the month
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. march — music
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. march — the month
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mouse — the animal

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