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 116 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 · stem · bass · straw · mug · suit · shower · fan

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bass — low music
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — to wash
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. suit — to fit
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. mug — a face
  14. charge — a price
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mug — to rob
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. charge — in control
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. mug — a cup
  22. suit — clothes
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bass — the instrument

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