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: charge · dip · suit · date · root · lean · hide · cold

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. charge — in control
  3. suit — to fit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. charge — a price
  12. root — of a plant
  13. suit — in cards
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. date — the fruit
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. root — the cause
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cold — not warm
  22. charge — electricity
  23. root — of a word
  24. cold — an illness

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