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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. toast — bread
  4. bore — to tire
  5. race — a contest
  6. face — to confront
  7. squash — to crush
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. race — humankind
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. squash — the sport
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. race — the arms race
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bore — to drill
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. face — part of the head
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. deal — to handle

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