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 120 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. season — of the year
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. fine — high quality
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. season — in sport
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chair — a professorship

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