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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. race — a contest
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. race — the arms race
  7. content — the amount
  8. charge — electricity
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a signal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rush — hurry
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. cue — a hint
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. charge — a price
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. charge — in control
  23. content — happy
  24. race — humankind

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