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: rush · ball · club · mark · straw · band · bear · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bear — the animal
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ball — a dance
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rush — hurry
  13. band — a music group
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. foot — a measure
  19. band — a ring
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rush — a thrill

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