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: bat · pitch · lie · dip · kid · suit · charge · straw

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bat — the animal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. suit — in cards
  7. kid — to tease
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. kid — child
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. lie — to recline
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. charge — a price
  22. pitch — completely
  23. suit — to fit
  24. straw — dry grass

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