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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. track — to keep track
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. can — to be able to
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bulb — for light
  9. track — a path
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the sport
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. row — a line
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. row — to paddle
  20. track — a song
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — dry grass

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