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: stick · chip · squash · leaves · straw · fine · mate · perch

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mate — a partner
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mate — to breed
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. squash — to crush
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fine — all right
  19. squash — the sport
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. fine — a penalty

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