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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. track — a song
  3. kid — child
  4. staff — employees
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bound — obliged
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. staff — employees
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bound — certain
  11. track — a path
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — to tease
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. track — to keep track
  17. sharp — clever
  18. staff — a stick
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bound — tied together

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