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: wave · staff · last · safe · club · straw · trunk · stock

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. stock — goods
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. last — finally
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stock — shares
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. staff — employees
  24. straw — a straw man

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