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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wind — moving air
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wind — moving air
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ball — a great time
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. prune — to trim
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. ball — a dance
  20. prune — to trim
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. foot — part of the body

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