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: sharp · rash · racket · scale · wake · fan · charge · snap

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. scale — in music
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. snap — to click
  8. charge — in control
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. scale — size or range
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. sharp — clever
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rash — a series
  16. charge — a price
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rash — hasty
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wake — a trail
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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