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: face · straw · pit · nail · content · chip · calf · bound

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pit — a hole
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bound — certain
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bound — tied together
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bound — obliged
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chip — for betting
  19. face — to confront
  20. content — happy
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. content — the amount
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. chip — in a computer

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