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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. roll — a list
  7. bound — obliged
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bound — tied together
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rush — hurry
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. chip — for betting
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bound — certain
  21. drill — army training
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. drill — the tool

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