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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. firm — steady
  3. row — to paddle
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. charge — in control
  8. last — finally
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. last — to go on
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. cold — an illness
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. cold — not warm
  15. row — a line
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. toast — bread
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. charge — a price
  21. cap — a lid
  22. charge — electricity
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. last — 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