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: craft · kick · coach · bound · deal · pass · straw · wax

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. deal — to handle
  16. craft — boats
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bound — certain
  19. wax — to grow
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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