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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. snap — to click
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bound — certain
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bound — tied together
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. can — a tin
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bound — obliged
  16. can — a tin
  17. stand — to bear
  18. straw — a straw man

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