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: object · kick · straw · club · temple · lean · ground · fan

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. ground — a position
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. object — an aim
  5. ground — crushed
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lean — to bend
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. club — a group
  15. object — a thing
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. object — to protest
  21. club — for golf
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. club — for dancing
  24. ground — the earth

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