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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wake — a trail
  5. current — electric
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. current — happening now
  9. rest — what's left
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rest — a break
  18. current — of water
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. rest — what's left
  21. saw — the tool
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rush — to hurry

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