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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bass — the fish
  3. swing — to play on
  4. key — for a lock
  5. vault — a safe
  6. swing — music
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bass — low music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. key — in music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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