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: capital · bay · kick · scale · arm · straw · rock · foot

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. kick — in football
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rock — music
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. foot — a measure
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. scale — in music
  15. capital — a city
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. kick — with a leg

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