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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bound — certain
  4. firm — a company
  5. face — to point toward
  6. firm — decided
  7. pass — a permit
  8. race — humankind
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. race — a contest
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bound — obliged
  15. wound — an injury
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. face — to confront
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. firm — steady
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pound — a weight
  24. charge — electricity

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