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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. file — a tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. file — a line of people
  6. firm — steady
  7. face — part of the head
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — a company
  10. tear — to rip
  11. pound — a weight
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — from crying
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. file — a document
  24. tube — the underground

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