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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cue — for pool
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — electricity
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rash — a series
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. cue — a hint
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. charge — a price
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bound — tied together

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