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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cap — a lid
  4. can — a tin
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. charge — a price
  7. deal — to handle
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cell — in biology
  11. charge — in control
  12. cell — a phone
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. can — a tin
  19. cap — a hat
  20. saw — the tool
  21. can — to be able to
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. cap — of ice
  24. charge — electricity

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