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: lie · nail · scale · band · arm · mouse · jam · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. lie — to recline
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. band — a music group
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. scale — in music
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. scale — size or range
  23. band — a ring
  24. straw — a straw man

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