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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. firm — a company
  6. file — a tool
  7. roll — a list
  8. wound — an injury
  9. cell — a phone
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cell — in biology
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. craft — a skill
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wax — to grow
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. craft — boats
  19. fork — in a road
  20. firm — decided
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. roll — a cake
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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