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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rest — what's left
  9. object — to protest
  10. rest — a break
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rest — what's left
  13. season — of the year
  14. rush — hurry
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. object — a thing
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. season — in sport
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. object — an aim
  24. season — to add flavour

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