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 · firm · pitcher · suit · shower · season · charge · straw

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pit — a hole
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. suit — to fit
  8. firm — a company
  9. season — of the year
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. firm — decided
  14. season — in sport
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. shower — rain
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pit — in a race
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. suit — clothes
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. firm — steady

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