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 116 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 · fine · tube · row · ground · spell · deal · staff

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. row — to paddle
  3. spell — magic
  4. staff — a stick
  5. fine — all right
  6. tube — a container
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. fine — high quality
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. spell — a short time
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ground — a position
  14. deal — to handle
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. staff — employees
  18. spell — letters
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. ground — crushed
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. row — a line
  24. staff — employees

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