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: club · arm · straw · current · firm · rush · ground · bay

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rush — hurry
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. current — of water
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. current — happening now
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. firm — decided
  13. club — for dancing
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. firm — steady
  16. club — for golf
  17. firm — a company
  18. current — electric
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ground — the earth
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. club — a group

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