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 · land · snap · season · foot · mouse · safe · spell

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. season — in sport
  9. land — ground
  10. spell — a short time
  11. land — a country
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. land — to come down
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. season — of the year
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. snap — to click
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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