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: staff · snap · cell · charge · shower · roll · temple · toast

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. toast — bread
  4. roll — a list
  5. snap — to click
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. charge — a price
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. charge — electricity
  14. staff — employees
  15. shower — to wash
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. cell — a phone
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. roll — a cake
  23. charge — in control
  24. shower — rain

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