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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. drill — army training
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bank — of a river
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. bank — for money
  9. press — newspapers
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stand — to bear
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bank — for money
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. drill — the tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stand — for spectators

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