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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. present — the time now
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bulb — for light
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. current — electric
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. current — of water
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. present — a gift
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. present — there
  19. current — happening now
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. deal — to handle

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