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 120 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: foot · lean · cabinet · mug · mark · squash · leaves · straw

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. mark — a trace
  4. squash — to crush
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mug — to rob
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lean — to bend
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. mark — a grade
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. foot — a measure
  22. mug — a cup
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. lean — thin

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