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 116 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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. firm — a company
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lean — thin
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — a phone
  7. fine — all right
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rash — a series
  12. content — the amount
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. content — happy
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. rash — hasty

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