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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. swing — music
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. saw — the tool
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. degree — from a university
  12. object — to protest
  13. mug — a face
  14. degree — temperature
  15. object — an aim
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rock — music
  20. object — a thing
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. swing — in golf
  24. degree — an amount

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