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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. wind — moving air
  5. root — of a plant
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — letters
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. lean — thin
  10. spell — magic
  11. roll — a list
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. root — the cause
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mug — a face
  20. roll — a cake
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. root — of a word
  24. lean — to bend

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