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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. net — for catching
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. drill — the tool
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. face — to point toward
  9. row — to paddle
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. face — to confront
  12. net — after costs
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. row — a line
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. face — part of the head
  19. drill — army training
  20. net — in sport
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. drill — a practice
  23. stem — to come from
  24. straw — a straw man

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