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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. current — happening now
  5. net — after costs
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wind — moving air
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. net — for catching
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. current — electric
  14. bank — for money
  15. wind — moving air
  16. date — the fruit
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. current — of water
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bank — for money
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. net — in sport
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bank — of a river

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