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: arm · spell · band · cabinet · stick · stock · cap · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. band — a music group
  4. cap — a lid
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — shares
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. spell — a short time
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. band — a ring
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. spell — letters
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stock — goods
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. spell — magic
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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