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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bass — the fish
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. root — the cause
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. charge — a price
  8. pitch — completely
  9. game — a match
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wound — an injury
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. game — wild animals
  19. root — of a word
  20. pit — a hole
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bass — low music

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