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: bank · rush · straw · stand · club · face · wake · dip

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. club — for dancing
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. club — a group
  12. stand — to bear
  13. face — to point toward
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bank — for money
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. club — for golf
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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