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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. scale — in music
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wax — to grow
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rest — what's left
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a ring
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rest — a break

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