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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. charge — in control
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. clip — for paper
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. clip — to cut
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. deal — to handle
  17. charge — a price
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. branch — a division
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. clip — a video
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. charge — electricity
  24. ruler — for measuring

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