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: calf · stand · file · straw · present · spring · squash · bulb

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. present — the time now
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. file — a tool
  7. present — a gift
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. file — a document
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. present — there
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spring — of water
  14. bulb — for light
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. squash — to crush
  19. stand — to bear
  20. squash — the sport
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. spring — the season
  24. file — a line of people

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