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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. firm — a company
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. firm — steady
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. game — wild animals
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. game — a match
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. firm — decided

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