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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pop — soda
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spring — the season
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pound — a weight
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rock — music
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. spring — of water
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. pop — music
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bulb — for light

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