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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. scale — size or range
  6. stem — to come from
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. snap — to click
  11. fine — all right
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bear — the animal
  14. swing — music
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bear — the animal
  20. branch — a division
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. scale — in music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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