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: lean · staff · bass · stand · court · straw · current · tube

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. tube — the underground
  5. current — happening now
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. court — of a king
  9. stand — to bear
  10. current — of water
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bass — the fish
  13. staff — employees
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. staff — a stick
  16. court — for sport
  17. current — electric
  18. bass — low music
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. tube — a container
  22. staff — employees
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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