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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. suit — to fit
  4. game — wild animals
  5. net — in sport
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bulb — for light
  8. net — after costs
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. bulb — for light
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. saw — the tool
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. suit — in cards
  17. net — for catching
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. saw — the tool
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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