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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. kid — child
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. content — the amount
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stock — shares
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fall — the season
  15. rest — a break
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rest — what's left
  20. content — happy
  21. stock — goods
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kid — to tease

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