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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. lean — to bend
  3. face — part of the head
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. staff — a stick
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. face — to point toward
  11. lie — to recline
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. face — to confront
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cue — for pool
  22. club — a group
  23. lean — thin
  24. club — for golf

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