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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. field — farmland
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bank — of a river
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. stand — to bear
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bank — for money
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. field — a subject
  12. field — for sport
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. kick — in football
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bore — to drill
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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