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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. firm — decided
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. firm — steady
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. last — to go on
  17. branch — a division
  18. last — final
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. last — finally
  21. roll — a cake
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. roll — a list

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