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: rest · fine · bowl · snap · charge · foot · date · pitcher

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rest — what's left
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fine — high quality
  8. snap — to click
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. charge — in control
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. date — the fruit
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rest — a break

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