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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. charge — in control
  3. swing — in golf
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. swing — to play on
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. charge — electricity
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. saw — the tool
  18. swing — music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bank — of a river
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. charge — a price
  24. lash — to lash out

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