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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. rest — what's left
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. rest — a break
  9. object — an aim
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. object — to protest
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. squash — the sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. rest — what's left
  22. object — a thing
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. fan — a supporter

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