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: charge · lean · rush · hide · mine · net · sharp · swing

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. mine — for digging
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. net — after costs
  5. swing — in golf
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. charge — a price
  8. net — for catching
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rush — hurry
  15. charge — in control
  16. swing — to play on
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. swing — music
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. lean — thin
  23. net — in sport
  24. rush — to hurry

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