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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. squash — to crush
  12. last — final
  13. rest — a break
  14. rock — a stone
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fine — all right
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. fine — high quality
  19. last — to go on
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rock — music
  24. last — finally

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