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 · saw · staff · hand · safe · mate · rush · suit

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mate — to breed
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mate — a friend
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. suit — clothes
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. saw — the tool
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. saw — the tool
  18. staff — a stick
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mate — a partner
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. suit — to fit

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