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: snap · mug · stand · mine · charge · rush · cabinet · shower

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. snap — to click
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — for digging
  8. rush — hurry
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. shower — rain
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mug — a face
  17. charge — a price
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. charge — in control
  20. shower — to wash
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mine — belonging to me

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