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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. cold — an illness
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. last — finally
  10. cold — not warm
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. last — final
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. last — to go on
  24. straw — a straw man

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