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: craft · track · stick · chair · chest · deal · charge · dip

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. deal — to handle
  4. charge — in control
  5. track — a path
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. dip — to sink
  9. chest — of your body
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. chest — a box
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chair — a leader
  16. charge — a price
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. track — a song
  23. craft — boats
  24. deal — an agreement

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