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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pop — to visit
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pitch — completely
  12. swing — to play on
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pit — in a race
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pop — music
  19. snap — to click
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. swing — music
  24. calf — a young animal

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