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 120 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: coach · safe · nail · hand · mug · wind · fall · straw

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — to rob
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mug — a face
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wind — moving air
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. mug — a cup
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fall — the season
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. hand — in cards
  19. wind — moving air
  20. fall — to drop
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fall — to drop
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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