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 120 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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. lean — thin
  3. press — newspapers
  4. lean — to bend
  5. race — the arms race
  6. court — of a king
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. rule — a law
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. race — humankind
  14. rule — government
  15. press — a publisher
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. press — to push
  18. court — for sport
  19. race — a contest
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. court — of law
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. arm — a part of something

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