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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. court — of a king
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. season — of the year
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — a permit
  11. snap — to click
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. fine — all right
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. court — of law
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. season — in sport
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fine — high quality
  24. court — for sport

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