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: straw · sharp · saw · root · rest · hide · cabinet · rash

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. root — of a word
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. root — the cause
  8. rest — a break
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rest — what's left
  13. saw — the tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. rest — what's left
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rash — a series
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. rash — hasty
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. cabinet — ministers

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