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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. swing — to play on
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. hand — in cards
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. swing — in golf
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. swing — music
  17. firm — steady
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bear — the animal
  20. hand — help
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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