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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. staff — employees
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. drill — a practice
  6. can — a tin
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rush — hurry
  12. staff — a stick
  13. drill — army training
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. drill — the tool
  17. staff — employees
  18. tear — from crying
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. can — a tin
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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