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: cap · club · charge · bark · saw · lie · craft · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. snap — to click
  5. club — for dancing
  6. charge — in control
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lie — to recline
  9. saw — the tool
  10. club — a group
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. club — for golf
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cap — a lid
  18. saw — the tool
  19. craft — boats
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bark — to shout
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. charge — a price

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