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

Word bank: charge · key · snap · vault · net · wind · bass · straw

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. key — in music
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. charge — in control
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. key — the most important part
  11. snap — to click
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. net — for catching
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wind — moving air
  17. net — after costs
  18. vault — a safe
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. charge — a price
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. net — in sport

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