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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. cap — a lid
  7. current — electric
  8. rash — a series
  9. foot — a measure
  10. current — happening now
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rash — hasty
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. current — of water
  20. cap — of ice
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. cap — a hat

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