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: bass · charge · lash · squash · plane · key · snap · pass

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. key — in music
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. charge — electricity
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. key — for a lock
  8. charge — in control
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pass — a permit
  11. squash — the sport
  12. snap — to click
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. squash — to crush
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. charge — a price
  17. bass — low music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. plane — a tool
  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