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 116 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. charge — in control
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. drill — army training
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. charge — a price
  24. pitcher — a jug

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