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 120 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. pound — a weight
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. press — newspapers
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. leaves — of a tree

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