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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. firm — decided
  3. rest — what's left
  4. firm — a company
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bark — to shout
  7. firm — steady
  8. race — the arms race
  9. season — of the year
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. season — in sport
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rest — a break
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. race — a contest
  18. rest — what's left
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — a list
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. race — humankind
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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