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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. firm — steady
  4. wind — moving air
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. charge — a price
  7. wind — moving air
  8. spring — the season
  9. firm — decided
  10. charge — in control
  11. spring — of water
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wound — an injury
  14. saw — the tool
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. wound — an injury
  17. spring — a coil
  18. charge — electricity
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. firm — a company
  24. wind — to turn a key

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