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: club · straw · deal · toast · rule · perch · spell · can

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. club — for golf
  3. spell — magic
  4. club — a group
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. deal — to handle
  11. spell — letters
  12. rule — government
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rule — a law
  17. club — for dancing
  18. can — to be able to
  19. toast — bread
  20. can — a tin
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. can — a tin
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. perch — for a bird

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