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: can · charge · net · lash · stock · sharp · last · wake

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. charge — electricity
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. net — for catching
  5. can — to be able to
  6. last — to go on
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stock — goods
  11. charge — a price
  12. last — final
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. last — finally
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stock — shares
  18. can — a tin
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. can — a tin
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. wake — a trail
  24. charge — in control

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