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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. snap — to click
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pop — music
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. date — the fruit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pop — soda
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pop — to visit
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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