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 120 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 · lean · wind · bore · squash · deal · bay · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wind — moving air
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. charge — in control
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. squash — the sport
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lean — to bend
  17. squash — to crush
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. charge — electricity
  20. lean — thin
  21. charge — a price
  22. game — a match
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bore — to tire

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