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 120 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: drill · mine · straw · craft · cue · temple · season · net

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. cue — a hint
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. cue — for pool
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. craft — a skill
  10. season — in sport
  11. drill — a practice
  12. net — for catching
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. cue — a signal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. net — after costs
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. season — of the year
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. net — in sport
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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