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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. root — the cause
  3. face — to confront
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. firm — decided
  7. root — of a plant
  8. can — a tin
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — money
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. row — to paddle
  13. face — to point toward
  14. kick — in football
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. face — part of the head
  17. row — a line
  18. firm — a company
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. can — a tin
  23. root — of a word
  24. can — to be able to

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