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: foot · wave · craft · rule · roll · bank · straw · cap

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. craft — boats
  3. bank — for money
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. rule — a law
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bank — for money
  9. roll — a list
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. cap — a lid
  15. roll — a cake
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bank — of a river
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rule — government
  22. cap — a hat
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. craft — a handicraft

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