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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rash — a series
  4. cold — an illness
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. firm — decided
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. deal — to handle
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. firm — steady
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. firm — a company
  18. rash — hasty
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. cold — not warm

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