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: suit · wound · saw · bay · mate · dip · charge · straw

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. charge — in control
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. dip — to sink
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. charge — electricity
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. suit — clothes
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mate — a friend
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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