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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. lean — thin
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. club — a group
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. suit — to fit
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rash — a series
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. suit — clothes
  13. craft — boats
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. drill — a practice
  16. suit — in cards
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. drill — the tool
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rash — hasty
  24. club — for golf

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