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: staff · straw · pitcher · wave · kick · net · craft · bulb

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  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 — to clutch at straws
  2. kick — in football
  3. net — after costs
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. net — in sport
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. craft — boats
  14. staff — employees
  15. net — for catching
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. staff — a stick
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. staff — employees
  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