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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. board — a committee
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bear — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. content — happy
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. foot — a measure
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. content — the amount
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bear — the animal
  24. arm — part of the body

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