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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. suit — to fit
  3. march — music
  4. clip — a video
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. march — the month
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. press — a publisher
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. clip — to cut
  18. suit — clothes
  19. march — the month
  20. suit — in cards
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. clip — for paper
  24. straw — a straw man

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