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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. swing — in golf
  5. drill — a practice
  6. staff — a stick
  7. track — to keep track
  8. can — to be able to
  9. ball — a great time
  10. staff — employees
  11. can — a tin
  12. swing — to play on
  13. drill — army training
  14. staff — employees
  15. ball — a dance
  16. drill — the tool
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. can — a tin
  19. swing — music
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. track — a path
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. track — a song

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