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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. squash — the sport
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. deal — to handle
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. squash — to crush
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stem — to come from
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. coach — a trainer

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