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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mug — a cup
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. key — the most important part
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. date — the fruit
  11. key — for a lock
  12. track — a song
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mug — to rob
  15. key — in music
  16. club — for dancing
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. track — a path
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for golf
  23. track — to keep track
  24. straw — dry grass

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