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 116 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's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. shower — to wash
  3. object — to protest
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. object — an aim
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bore — to tire
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. shower — rain
  11. object — a thing
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. wake — a trail
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bore — to drill
  19. squash — to crush
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. snap — to click
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. squash — the vegetable

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