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: bay · charge · stock · mug · wake · straw · content · bowl

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. content — happy
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. charge — in control
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mug — a cup
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. charge — a price
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. content — the amount
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. stock — shares
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. charge — electricity

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