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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. drill — army training
  4. wind — moving air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. staff — employees
  7. clip — a video
  8. drill — a practice
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wind — moving air
  12. staff — a stick
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. firm — a company
  16. drill — the tool
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. clip — for paper
  20. staff — employees
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. firm — decided

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