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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. prune — to trim
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. clip — for paper
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. mug — a face
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wax — to grow
  20. clip — to cut
  21. clip — a video
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. straw — a straw man

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