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: suit · straw · calf · cap · branch · stick · march · ground

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. branch — a division
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. ground — a position
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ground — crushed
  13. suit — clothes
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. march — the month
  16. cap — a hat
  17. ground — the earth
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. suit — in cards
  24. straw — dry grass

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