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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. club — for golf
  5. present — the time now
  6. pitch — completely
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wound — an injury
  10. club — a group
  11. wound — an injury
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — all right
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fall — the season
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. club — for dancing
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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