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 120 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bank — for money
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kid — to tease
  7. bank — of a river
  8. suit — clothes
  9. march — the month
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. march — music
  14. kid — child
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. march — the month
  17. bank — for money
  18. hand — help
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. sharp — clever
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. suit — in cards

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