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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bass — low music
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mine — for digging
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rush — hurry
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bass — the fish
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cue — a signal

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