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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. key — the most important part
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. board — to get on
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. stand — to bear
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bat — the animal
  17. board — a committee
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. key — in music
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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