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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. staff — employees
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. face — to point toward
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. face — to confront
  16. shower — rain
  17. wake — a trail
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. staff — employees
  22. shower — to wash
  23. face — part of the head
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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