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 112 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. craft — boats
  3. charge — in control
  4. snap — to click
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. craft — a skill
  8. tube — a container
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. charge — electricity
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. charge — a price
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. tube — the underground
  18. deal — to handle

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