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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. perch — the fish
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. saw — the tool
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. stock — shares
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bore — to tire
  21. chair — a leader
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. perch — for a bird

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