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: lie · chair · charge · hide · ruler · scale · lash · pop

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — to recline
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — soda
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pop — to visit
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. charge — a price
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. scale — in music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. charge — in control

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