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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. board — to get on
  3. content — the amount
  4. can — a tin
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. squash — to crush
  7. board — a committee
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. squash — the sport
  15. can — to be able to
  16. content — happy
  17. can — a tin
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bark — to shout

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