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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. key — in music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. tear — to rip
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. tear — from crying
  18. scale — in music
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. scale — size or range
  24. racket — for tennis

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