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: bay · snap · cue · bore · file · charge · rule · rock

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  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. cue — a hint
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. file — a line of people
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. file — a document
  10. rule — government
  11. charge — a price
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rule — a law
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. snap — to click
  17. charge — in control
  18. bore — to tire
  19. file — a tool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cue — for pool
  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