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: deal · row · charge · key · shower · mouse · swing · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. key — in music
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. shower — to wash
  6. key — for a lock
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — to recline
  12. swing — in golf
  13. shower — rain
  14. charge — a price
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. charge — in control
  18. swing — music
  19. row — a line
  20. swing — to play on
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. row — to paddle
  24. key — the most important part

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