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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. net — for catching
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. can — a tin
  10. branch — a division
  11. face — to point toward
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. net — after costs
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rock — music
  18. face — part of the head
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. net — in sport
  21. bore — to drill
  22. can — a tin
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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