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 · lean · band · foot · roll · club · season · toast

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lean — to bend
  5. roll — a list
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. season — in sport
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. roll — a cake
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. season — of the year
  14. toast — bread
  15. foot — a measure
  16. club — a group
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. club — for dancing
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. lean — thin

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