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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. chair — a leader
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. swing — to play on
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. staff — employees
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. swing — music
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. staff — employees
  23. swing — in golf
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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