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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pop — music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. saw — the tool
  8. board — a committee
  9. rest — what's left
  10. firm — decided
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. saw — the tool
  13. capital — a city
  14. board — to get on
  15. firm — a company
  16. capital — money
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. firm — steady
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pop — soda
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rest — a break
  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