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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. game — a match
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mark — a trace
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. game — wild animals
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. swing — in golf
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. swing — music
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mark — a grade
  21. ball — a great time
  22. swing — to play on
  23. snap — to click
  24. game — a kind of play

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