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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ball — a dance
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. last — final
  10. last — finally
  11. content — happy
  12. last — to go on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. content — the amount
  16. ball — a great time
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. chair — to sit on

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