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: cabinet · perch · bowl · spell · mine · mug · chip · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. mug — a face
  4. spell — letters
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. perch — the fish
  16. spell — magic
  17. mug — to rob
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mine — for digging
  23. chip — for betting
  24. spell — a short time

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