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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. can — to be able to
  3. track — a path
  4. firm — decided
  5. scale — size or range
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. capital — a city
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. capital — money
  11. can — a tin
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wound — an injury
  15. can — a tin
  16. track — a song
  17. scale — in music
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. firm — a company
  21. track — to keep track
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wound — an injury

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