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 116 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: club · bank · track · straw · fine · wave · bat · coach

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. club — for golf
  3. track — a path
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. track — a song
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bat — the animal
  17. fine — all right
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. club — a group
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. fine — high quality

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