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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bore — to tire
  10. capital — a city
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. capital — money
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stand — to bear
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. jam — a tight spot

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