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: sharp · lie · hide · content · arm · stand · mate · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. content — the amount
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mate — to breed
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. stand — to bear
  8. lie — to recline
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. charge — in control
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mate — a partner
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mate — a friend
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. content — happy
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. charge — electricity
  24. content — videos and posts

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