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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. press — to push
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. hand — help
  10. staff — employees
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — a stick
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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