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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. content — the amount
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. tube — a container
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bulb — for light
  15. tube — the underground
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wax — to grow
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. content — happy
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. row — a line

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