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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cue — for pool
  4. game — wild animals
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. suit — clothes
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. branch — of a bank

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