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 120 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. club — for golf
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lean — thin
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. saw — the tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bulb — for light
  23. spell — a short time
  24. club — a group

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