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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. roll — a list
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. charge — electricity
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. roll — a cake
  9. charge — a price
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. file — a tool
  24. file — a document

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