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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · straw · bear · club · stand · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. club — a group
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. stand — to bear
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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