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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. club — for golf
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. perch — the fish
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. club — a group
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. club — for dancing
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rush — hurry
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. stand — to bear
  24. coach — a trainer

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