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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. key — the most important part
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. key — in music
  6. current — happening now
  7. ground — crushed
  8. hand — help
  9. ground — a position
  10. mug — a cup
  11. hand — in cards
  12. current — of water
  13. lean — thin
  14. mug — to rob
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lean — to bend
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mug — a face
  22. current — electric
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. ground — the earth

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