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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. net — after costs
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pitch — completely
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. net — in sport
  9. cue — for pool
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — from a university
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. saw — the tool
  17. degree — an amount
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. net — for catching
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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