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 116 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 · sharp · deal · bulb · kick · charge · ground · cue

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. cue — for pool
  3. charge — a price
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ground — the earth
  8. charge — electricity
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. kick — in football
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. ground — a position
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  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