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 116 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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rest — what's left
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. vault — a safe
  14. hand — help
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rest — what's left
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. rest — a break
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stem — to come from
  24. swing — music

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