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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bank — of a river
  5. firm — a company
  6. key — in music
  7. face — to confront
  8. bank — for money
  9. face — part of the head
  10. land — to come down
  11. key — the most important part
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cell — in biology
  15. land — ground
  16. firm — steady
  17. bank — for money
  18. land — a country
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cap — a hat
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bowl — a football final

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