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 · mouse · pass · bank · saw · straw · calf · press

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bank — for money
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. press — to push
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. press — newspapers
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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