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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rush — hurry
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rest — a break
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. rule — a law
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rest — what's left
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rule — government

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