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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tear — to rip
  3. object — a thing
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. tear — from crying
  9. object — to protest
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. swing — in golf
  14. cue — for pool
  15. tear — from crying
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. suit — in cards
  18. face — to point toward
  19. cue — a hint
  20. suit — to fit
  21. swing — music
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. object — an aim
  24. pitch — completely

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