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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rest — a break
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. sharp — clever
  8. drill — army training
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. land — a country
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. drill — a practice
  15. charge — a price
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. charge — in control
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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