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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. board — to get on
  7. suit — clothes
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a line of people
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. charge — a price
  13. file — a tool
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. board — a committee
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — to fit
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. wind — moving air
  22. charge — in control
  23. wind — moving air
  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