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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. date — the fruit
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. march — the month
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. dip — to sink
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. game — wild animals
  22. suit — to fit
  23. game — a match
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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