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: lean · scale · straw · bay · deal · coach · stick · charge

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. scale — in music
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. charge — in control
  12. lean — to bend
  13. charge — a price
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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