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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. object — to protest
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lean — thin
  6. squash — to crush
  7. firm — decided
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lean — to bend
  10. object — an aim
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. firm — steady
  13. chip — to eat
  14. object — a thing
  15. capital — a city
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. firm — a company
  19. fine — all right
  20. capital — money
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. squash — the sport

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