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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. net — after costs
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. club — for dancing
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. lean — thin
  12. net — for catching
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. club — for golf
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. club — a group
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. net — in sport

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