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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bear — the animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. scale — in music
  21. firm — a company
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mark — a trace
  24. scale — for weighing

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