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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. club — a group
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. object — a thing
  9. swing — to play on
  10. club — for golf
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. swing — music
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. prune — to trim
  18. object — to protest
  19. pitch — completely
  20. club — for dancing
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. swing — in golf
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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