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: bear · craft · mark · mine · kid · straw · net · ruler

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. net — after costs
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kid — child
  5. craft — boats
  6. net — for catching
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. mine — for digging
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. net — in sport
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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