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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fine — all right
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. charge — a price
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. fine — high quality
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wound — an injury
  17. current — of water
  18. dip — to sink
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. wound — an injury
  21. current — happening now
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — electric

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