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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. drill — army training
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. stand — to bear
  8. kick — in football
  9. pop — soda
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. game — wild animals
  13. staff — employees
  14. branch — a division
  15. staff — a stick
  16. game — a match
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. pop — music
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pop — to visit
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. staff — employees
  23. drill — a practice
  24. stand — for spectators

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