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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. lean — to bend
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — a permit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wind — moving air
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. deal — to handle
  18. suit — to fit
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. spell — a short time
  24. suit — clothes

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