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 · suit · can · clip · club · pitch · wake · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. clip — a video
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wound — an injury
  7. club — for dancing
  8. can — a tin
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. can — a tin
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. clip — for paper
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. can — to be able to
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pitch — completely
  21. clip — to cut
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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