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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. last — finally
  3. date — the fruit
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. last — to go on
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. squash — the sport
  11. last — final
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pitch — completely
  16. craft — boats
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. craft — a skill
  20. roll — a list
  21. deal — to handle
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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