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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bear — the animal
  8. object — a thing
  9. bear — the animal
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stem — to come from
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. squash — to crush
  15. march — music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wax — to grow
  18. object — an aim
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. object — to protest
  24. stem — of a plant

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