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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mine — for digging
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pop — music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pound — a weight
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. pop — soda
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. perch — the fish
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pop — to visit
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. straw — a straw man

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