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

Word bank: kick · deal · wax · fork · temple · rash · swing · straw

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rash — a series
  9. swing — to play on
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. rash — hasty
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. kick — in football
  21. fork — in a road
  22. wax — to grow
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — in golf

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