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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. charge — a price
  3. spring — the season
  4. chest — of your body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. land — to come down
  8. firm — a company
  9. charge — in control
  10. firm — steady
  11. spring — of water
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. mug — a cup
  14. land — a country
  15. charge — electricity
  16. foot — a measure
  17. mug — to rob
  18. chest — a box
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. land — ground
  21. firm — decided
  22. mug — a face
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. chest — of your 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