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: mouse · lash · bore · jam · wound · staff · straw · branch

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. staff — employees
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. wound — an injury
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. staff — a stick
  16. branch — a division
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. staff — employees
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. wound — an injury

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