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: key · temple · straw · mine · bound · rush · club · deal

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. key — in music
  7. bound — tied together
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. club — for golf
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bound — certain
  13. mine — for digging
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. deal — to handle
  16. key — for a lock
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bound — obliged
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mine — belonging to me

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