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 120 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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. spell — magic
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. craft — boats
  5. file — a tool
  6. club — for golf
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. club — a group
  10. chip — for betting
  11. file — a line of people
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spell — letters
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pitch — completely
  16. craft — a skill
  17. chip — to eat
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. spell — a short time
  20. file — a document
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. straw — dry grass

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