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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bear — the animal
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. club — for dancing
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pitch — completely
  11. club — for golf
  12. chair — a leader
  13. spell — letters
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. spell — magic
  19. club — a group
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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