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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. cue — a hint
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. race — humankind
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rash — a series
  9. race — a contest
  10. tube — a container
  11. cue — a signal
  12. current — of water
  13. cue — for pool
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. current — happening now
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rash — hasty
  19. current — electric
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mug — a face
  24. deal — to handle

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