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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. tube — the underground
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cell — a phone
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. rash — hasty
  12. tube — a container
  13. suit — clothes
  14. craft — a skill
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. craft — boats
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cell — in biology
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rash — a series

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