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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. firm — steady
  3. game — a match
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mark — a trace
  10. fall — the season
  11. firm — decided
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mark — a grade
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. kick — in football
  17. firm — a company
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mug — a face
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. prune — to trim
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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