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: tube · file · hand · lash · chip · charge · wave · wound

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wound — an injury
  4. charge — a price
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. file — a tool
  7. wound — an injury
  8. chip — for betting
  9. charge — electricity
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — in cards
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. tube — a container
  19. chip — to eat
  20. file — a document
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. file — a line of people
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wave — of the sea

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