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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. firm — steady
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bulb — for light
  5. firm — decided
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. saw — the tool
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cap — of ice
  10. key — in music
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cap — a hat
  14. content — happy
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — for a lock
  19. content — the amount
  20. firm — a company
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cap — a lid
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. kick — in football

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