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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. firm — decided
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. kid — to tease
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. kid — child
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. firm — a company
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. can — a tin
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. firm — steady
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. coach — a trainer

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