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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — a partner
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wind — moving air
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. current — of water
  11. wind — moving air
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mate — to breed
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — electric
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. current — happening now

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