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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. season — of the year
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. hand — in cards
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mark — a grade
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. saw — the tool
  16. swing — music
  17. season — in sport
  18. swing — in golf
  19. hand — help
  20. saw — the tool
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pit — in a race
  24. arm — part of the body

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