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: bulb · bay · straw · wound · staff · fall · jam · racket

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wound — an injury
  6. staff — employees
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. wound — an injury
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fall — the season
  16. staff — employees
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. fall — to drop
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. fall — to drop

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