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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rest — what's left
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. current — happening now
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bat — the animal
  18. current — electric
  19. chip — to eat
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bass — low music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. current — of water
  24. rest — a break

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