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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. shower — to wash
  3. firm — decided
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. ground — a position
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. branch — a division
  12. ground — the earth
  13. tube — a container
  14. shower — rain
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. ground — crushed
  17. firm — steady
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bay — a horse colour

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