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: racket · straw · club · vault · tear · leaves · fork · firm

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. club — for dancing
  3. vault — a safe
  4. tear — from crying
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. tear — to rip
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. club — for golf
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. fork — in a road
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. tear — from crying
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. firm — steady
  20. club — a group
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. leaves — of a tree

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