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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. firm — steady
  3. cell — in biology
  4. firm — decided
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. firm — a company
  7. tube — a container
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. charge — electricity
  10. tube — the underground
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bound — obliged
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bound — tied together
  16. charge — a price
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. charge — in control
  21. bound — certain
  22. wake — a trail
  23. branch — a division
  24. wake — before a funeral

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