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 · hand · pitcher · charge · season · saw · race · staff

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. charge — a price
  6. hand — help
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. race — a contest
  10. staff — employees
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. staff — a stick
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. hand — in cards
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — in sport
  22. staff — employees
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. race — humankind

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