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: mouse · snap · game · charge · mate · rash · tear · bore

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mate — to breed
  4. charge — a price
  5. tear — from crying
  6. charge — electricity
  7. game — a match
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mate — a friend
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. game — wild animals
  14. snap — to click
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rash — a series
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rash — hasty
  20. tear — from crying
  21. charge — in control
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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