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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stand — to bear
  5. land — ground
  6. land — to come down
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. land — a country
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. key — in music
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bulb — for light
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rash — a series
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wave — with your hand

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