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 120 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: temple · bat · lean · bore · charge · staff · suit · snap

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. staff — employees
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. charge — electricity
  5. staff — a stick
  6. suit — clothes
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. snap — to click
  11. lean — to bend
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. charge — in control
  18. bore — to drill
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bore — to tire
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. charge — a price
  24. staff — employees

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