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: stand · suit · hand · vault · foot · racket · straw · saw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. saw — the tool
  7. foot — a measure
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stand — to bear
  16. suit — clothes
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. suit — to fit
  20. vault — a safe
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. hand — in cards

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