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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. firm — steady
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rock — music
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chest — of your body
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. lie — to recline
  17. game — a match
  18. firm — decided
  19. chest — of your body
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rock — a stone
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. firm — a company

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