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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — a cup
  7. court — of a king
  8. current — happening now
  9. key — the most important part
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rule — government
  12. key — in music
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. court — of law
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rock — a stone
  17. key — for a lock
  18. current — electric
  19. rock — music
  20. court — for sport
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. current — of water
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mug — to rob

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