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 120 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wind — moving air
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. wind — moving air
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fine — high quality
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. object — a thing
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. object — to protest
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. object — an aim

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