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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. file — a line of people
  3. season — of the year
  4. key — for a lock
  5. pass — a permit
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spell — letters
  9. bulb — for light
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. file — a tool
  17. spell — a short time
  18. file — a document
  19. spell — magic
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. season — in sport
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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