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 120 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — happy
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wound — an injury
  10. row — a line
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. last — final
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. key — the most important part
  17. stand — to bear
  18. key — in music
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. row — to paddle
  22. last — to go on
  23. wound — an injury
  24. safe — out of danger

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