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: straw · calf · capital · suit · object · ball · spell · toast

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spell — magic
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ball — a dance
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. toast — bread
  11. spell — a short time
  12. object — a thing
  13. ball — a great time
  14. object — an aim
  15. suit — clothes
  16. object — to protest
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. capital — a city
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. capital — money
  24. spell — letters

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