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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. squash — the sport
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. charge — electricity
  8. squash — to crush
  9. clip — to cut
  10. suit — to fit
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. shower — to wash
  13. charge — a price
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. clip — for paper
  17. charge — in control
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. clip — a video
  20. scale — size or range
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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