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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. firm — decided
  3. staff — employees
  4. chest — of your body
  5. firm — a company
  6. chest — of your body
  7. game — wild animals
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. craft — boats
  11. staff — employees
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chest — a box
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. staff — a stick
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. firm — steady
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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