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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. fine — high quality
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. tear — to rip
  14. net — for catching
  15. fine — all right
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pass — a permit
  20. plane — a tool
  21. tear — from crying
  22. net — after costs
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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