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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bound — obliged
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bound — tied together
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wake — a trail
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bound — certain
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rush — hurry
  24. straw — a straw man

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