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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. firm — a company
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. firm — steady
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. cap — a lid
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bound — certain
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bound — tied together
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — the earth
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bound — obliged
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ground — crushed

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