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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. kick — in football
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. rash — hasty
  5. pop — music
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pop — to visit
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. staff — employees
  11. rash — a series
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pop — soda
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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