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: rock · straw · land · deal · stand · object · calf · fine

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rock — music
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rock — a stone
  8. object — an aim
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. object — a thing
  14. deal — to handle
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. land — a country
  17. land — to come down
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fine — all right
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. land — ground

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