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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. track — a path
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bank — for money
  8. craft — a skill
  9. charge — electricity
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. craft — boats
  14. wax — to grow
  15. track — a song
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bank — for money
  21. cue — a signal
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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