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: chip · object · straw · charge · hand · capital · rule · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. object — an aim
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. hand — help
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. capital — a city
  11. charge — in control
  12. chip — to eat
  13. charge — a price
  14. rule — government
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rule — a law
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. capital — money
  23. hand — in cards
  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