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 120 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. charge — a price
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pass — a permit
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wind — moving air
  11. root — the cause
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. root — of a word
  14. charge — in control
  15. club — for golf
  16. pit — in a race
  17. club — for dancing
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bass — low music
  22. club — a group
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wind — moving air

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