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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. can — a tin
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. fine — all right
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. mate — a partner
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. club — for golf
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bark — to shout
  18. can — a tin
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mate — a friend
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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