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: date · bat · rush · cabinet · charge · snap · race · foot

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. race — the arms race
  9. charge — a price
  10. race — humankind
  11. rush — hurry
  12. charge — electricity
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. charge — in control
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to click
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. race — a contest
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bat — the animal
  24. date — the fruit

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