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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. club — a group
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. club — for golf
  8. cap — of ice
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. kick — in football
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. club — for dancing
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. temple — a place of worship

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