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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. track — to keep track
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. staff — employees
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. tube — a container
  8. track — a song
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. track — a path
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. staff — a stick
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. staff — employees
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a line

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