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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · mine · season · charge · straw · trunk · current · ground

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. ground — the earth
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mine — for digging
  7. current — electric
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. charge — a price
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — a position
  13. season — of the year
  14. charge — in control
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. current — of water
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. season — in sport
  19. pit — a hole
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. current — happening now
  22. pit — in a race
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. straw — dry grass

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