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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bear — the animal
  3. track — a path
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. track — to keep track
  7. kid — to tease
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bear — the animal
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. kid — child
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. track — a song
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. safe — a strongbox

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