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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bass — low music
  3. firm — steady
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rash — a series
  7. mark — a grade
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — of water
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bass — the fish
  13. firm — decided
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. firm — a company
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. spring — the season
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bay — a horse colour

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