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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. firm — decided
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fine — high quality
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — happy
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fine — all right
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. firm — a company
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. face — to confront
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. staff — employees
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to point toward
  24. firm — steady

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