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: chest · bark · safe · deal · racket · fan · straw · stand

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. deal — to handle
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bark — to shout
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. stand — to bear
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. chest — of your body
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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