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 116 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. file — a tool
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cue — a signal
  7. file — a document
  8. press — a publisher
  9. root — the cause
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. root — of a plant
  12. kid — child
  13. rock — a stone
  14. cue — for pool
  15. kid — to tease
  16. root — of a word
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rock — music
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. file — a line of people
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rock — to move gently

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