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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. hand — in cards
  4. chest — a box
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fall — to drop
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. fall — to drop
  14. hand — help
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. chest — of your body
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chest — of your body
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fall — the season

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