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: net · current · firm · straw · leaves · spell · lie · rest

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rest — what's left
  4. firm — a company
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. spell — magic
  12. rest — a break
  13. spell — a short time
  14. net — in sport
  15. lie — to recline
  16. current — electric
  17. net — after costs
  18. current — happening now
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. firm — decided
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. current — of water
  23. spell — letters
  24. firm — steady

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