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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. hand — in cards
  4. firm — steady
  5. fork — in a road
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bat — the animal
  8. shower — rain
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. shower — to wash
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mate — a friend
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. hand — help
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bat — in an idiom

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