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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cap — a hat
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rush — hurry
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fork — in a road
  18. cap — a lid
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cap — of ice
  22. hand — help
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. leaves — to go away

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