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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bank — for money
  4. ground — a position
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bank — of a river
  9. tube — the underground
  10. firm — a company
  11. can — to be able to
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — a subject
  14. bank — for money
  15. field — farmland
  16. tube — a container
  17. firm — decided
  18. ground — the earth
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. can — a tin
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. can — a tin
  23. craft — boats
  24. pitcher — a jug

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