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

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bound — tied together
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bound — obliged
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bound — certain
  12. spell — letters
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. spell — magic
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road

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