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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. object — an aim
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bat — the animal
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bulb — for light
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bulb — for light
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. object — a thing
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. object — to protest

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