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: stock · pitch · mouse · snap · mug · ruler · lean · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. mug — a face
  8. stock — shares
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. lean — thin
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stock — goods
  22. pitch — completely
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. stock — a soup base

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