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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rock — a stone
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. clip — to cut
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. suit — clothes
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lean — to bend
  15. clip — for paper
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. rock — music
  21. lean — thin
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. clip — a video

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