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 120 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 · bore · current · squash · fan · rest · bay · foot

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bore — to tire
  3. current — of water
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rest — what's left
  7. current — happening now
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. squash — to crush
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. squash — the sport
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rest — what's left
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. current — electric
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rest — a break
  22. bore — to drill
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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