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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. craft — boats
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. current — happening now
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. stand — to bear
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bat — the animal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cue — for pool
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. cue — a hint

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