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: arm · nail · file · bay · wax · bound · mine · straw

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bound — tied together
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bound — certain
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. file — a tool
  14. mine — for digging
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a document
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. arm — part of the body

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